Editors Message

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August/September 2002

By Kristen Pratt Machado

Jaxene Hillebert, president of Preferred Therapy Providers (PTP)—a rehabilitation provider network that procures health, auto, and workers’ compensation contracts on behalf of qualified private practice rehab clinics across the United States—was recently celebrated at PTP’s 10th anniversary conference in May. Of course, 10 years of success should be commemorated, but this went deeper.

Hillebert’s employees took her by surprise when the regular conference agenda was upended so they could honor her. Each employee stood up and recounted a special Hillebert memory that had really touched them. Employees told of having their birthday remembered with decorations in their office, receiving an award and a pizza lunch for a new, innovative idea they initiated, and the value of having a flexible work schedule so they can pick up their kids from school in the afternoon—all emphasized how Hillebert puts her employees and her plan members above herself. Hillebert’s daughter, Christy Beauchamp, who is also the vice president, spoke of Hillebert’s tenets of wisdom:

Do the right thing for the right reason;
Have integrity; and
Always provide excellent customer service.

There was not a dry eye in the entire house. One attendee raised his hand and humorously asked if PTP had any openings. This really got me thinking about this one person, with obvious exemplary management skills, who had engendered such genuine loyalty and devotion in her employees. Management is more than style and it is more than ensuring productivity. For those of you running a rehab hospital or unit, at the helm of your own practice, or acting as team supervisor on the weekend shift, strong management skills are a necessity. Jaxene Hillebert is one example of someone who really knows how to get the most out of people by providing her employees with a lot of ownership in what they do. Her staff feels like they matter, like they are key to PTP’s success, which they are. But how do you turn a job into an avocation?

Well, I asked the president of my division—Tony Ramos—who started Rehab Management 14 years ago, to recommend a few of his favorite business management books, as success equals success in any business.

First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman (Simon and Schuster, May 1999)
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don’t by Jim Collins (HarperCollins, October 2001)
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell and Zig Ziglar (Thomas Nelson, September 1998)
Effective Coaching by Marshall J. Cook (McGraw-Hill Trade, October 1998)

As autumn is right around the corner, thoughts of 2003 start surfacing. I want to provide some tools to help you improve your management skills, not only for the benefit of your employees and efficiency, but also for your patients. I would love your feedback on how best to accomplish this goal. I look forward to hearing from you.

—Kristen Pratt Machado is no longer Editor of Rehab Management. Please address any correspondence to Sarah Schmelling, Senior Editor, at cwolski@medpubs.com.

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