Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizzie Bellinger.
Hi Lizzie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always been ambitious. After graduating with my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, I went into an orthopedic residency program and studied for 18 months. I was hungry for opportunity; I wanted to teach courses, build a residency like the one I graduated from, and elevate the discipline of orthopedic physical therapy.
My passion for teaching was only partially satisfied by my adjunct faculty work back at my alma mater. I started working at a hospital, hoping to start a residency there. No luck. I got an offer at an outpatient facility that already had a residency program, but they dragged their feet getting me on the faculty list.
Then everything changed.
I lost my father and stepmother to cancer in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Traveling back and forth to Minnesota to care for them in the middle of a pandemic left me so exhausted by grief that I quit my job without a plan. I took the summer off to find my way.
In that wide open space where no one expected me to be anything but myself, I realized I was looking for a professional “home,” a place where I truly fit. I had always seen my queer identity as a part of myself, to be kept completely separate from my professional self, but I realized that was contributing to my sense of burnout and unrest. I needed a workplace that would be not only a home for excellence but also a home for me.
My partner encouraged me to start my physical therapy practice. I hesitated at first – did I have the skills and knowledge to be a successful business owner? But I became convinced I wasn’t going to find my professional sweet spot unless I built it from the ground up.
After countless hours of planning and research, I opened Alliance Physical Therapy in April 2023, intending to provide not just a safe space but the best care there is for the LGBTQIA+ community. As far as I can tell, it’s working: more than 50% of our patient population identifies as LGBTQIA+, and many of our patients come to us from other physical therapy practices because affirming care is their top priority. I’ve already started preliminary planning for a future orthopedic residency program; I’m living the dream.
Now, I don’t feel hungry for change. I feel like I fit because I made the space that fits me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As a clinician, acquiring the skills to run a business was a steep learning curve. Luckily, I had fantastic mentorship from other practice owners in my network, and the professional organization I’m a member of has great published resources for PTs becoming business owners.
Insurance company reimbursement is also an enormous barrier in the physical therapy profession right now. Most practices like mine need to make about $85-$90 per patient visit just to cover their payroll and expenses. One health insurance company recently capped its payments at $70 per visit.
This forces small providers like to me pick and choose which insurance we accept, limiting patient access to care. It’s an issue I grapple with every day and it’s not one I can solve on my own.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Alliance Physical Therapy offers seriously inclusive physical therapy by orthopedic experts. As I write, my staff of three employees all identify as LGBTQIA+. I and my colleague Leah Flamm, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, CMTPT/DN are both Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialists, the top level of certification for orthopedic PTs. We believe that minority populations should never have to settle for below-average care, so we are raising the bar.
We specialize in meeting people where they are, including people with chronic illnesses. Each of us has experience in treating people with hypermobility syndromes. Leah specializes in EDS, dance medicine, trigger point dry needling, and pelvic floor therapy. I specialize in chronic pain, hands-on therapies, CFS/ME, POTS, and back pain.
The thing I’m the most proud of is the positive feedback we’ve received from our trans and nonbinary patients. As a cis-gendered woman, it takes a lot of listening to ensure I’m structuring a practice that meets the needs of a gender-diverse population. We’ve made mistakes – for example, one of my patients pointed out to me that our automated appointment reminders were deadnaming our patients! I was horrified.
Luckily, we were able to get the software changed within a few hours. With humility and self-awareness, I think I’ve been able to curate a system that serves our patients well.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Before I went to school for physical therapy, I taught flying trapeze at a school in Washington, DC.
Some would say letting go of the bar and flying through the air, hands outstretched for a catcher you hope will be there at just the right moment, is a pretty big risk. I see it as the stuff of life. If we can’t accept risk, we are living a lie by denying that life is fragile and tenuous. When we take a risk, we admit we are mortal, and open ourselves to uncertainty. We are faced with either belief in ourselves (and our catchers!), or despair. I choose hope.
Starting this practice was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. Although I was approved for a business loan, I decided not to accept it because of high interest rates, so the business started on my credit alone, along with a big scoop of optimism and a lot of spreadsheets. There has been some belt-tightening (and I have celiac disease so I can’t just live on ramen!) but now I’m starting to see the financial results I was hoping for.
Pricing:
- We are in-network with CareFirst, BlueCross/BlueShield, Aetna, and Medicare. We can check out-of-network benefits with other plans over the phone in a few seconds.
- Self-pay pricing is $180 for the first session and $120 for follow-up sessions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.allianceptbaltimore.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allianceptbaltimore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alliancePTbaltimore/
Image Credits
Vida Fye
