Steve Tisser Vice President of Outpatient Services discusses Outpatient Physical Therapy Program

We recently sat down with Steve Tisser, Vice President of Outpatient Services, to discuss the recent recognition of Burke Rehabilitation as an Outstanding Physical Therapy Clinical Education Site and Burke’s extensive range of outpatient therapeutic programs and specialty services. Read more below

In your words, can you tell us about your role at Burke and your path to get there? How have you seen Burke transform over the course of your career?

I’ve been at Burke for about 28 years now, and in that time, I’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth. I first came to Burke as the Supervisor of Outpatient Physical Therapy, overseeing a small group that has since grown into an approximately 200-member multidisciplinary team across the organization’s 13 outpatient therapy sites. We continue to offer more services and advanced specialties each year to ensure our patients are receiving the best and most comprehensive care.

Our outpatient offerings cover physical, occupational, speech therapy, cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation, along with all the associated support services that go with those areas. We have two onsite practices, including one offering orthopedic care and the other offering multidisciplinary comprehensive care for people who require the highest level of care. We also have an onsite physician practice, and a fitness center catered towards a population of people who may have been former Burke patients or older adults who may have comorbidities and need a safe space to continue to exercise and stay healthy. So overall, we continue to grow and put ourselves out there in the community as much as possible to ensure our services are easily accessible.

Can you tell us a little bit about this Award for Outstanding Physical Therapy Clinical Education Site and what it recognizes?

Given by the Clinical Consortium for Physical Therapy of NY and NJ, this award recognizes Burke’s Outpatient Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy team for providing outstanding physical therapy clinical education. Our Physical Therapy clinical coordinator, Dhara Amin, spends a lot of time with the clinical instructors and students at each location to encourage positive experiences and ensure that goals are being met. In this particular situation, there was a student that required a bit of extra help and support to ensure they were taught in a way that was most effective for them.

Rather than giving up or shying away from the challenge, the clinical instructor Brian Wadsworth, physical therapist at our Somers, NY location; Dhara Amin; and New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), the school where this student came from, worked together to problem-solve with this student and find the right ways of getting them where they needed to be. NYIT recognized these efforts and nominated us for the award. Just as we would advocate for our patients for everything they may need throughout their recovery journey, we do whatever we can to ensure each student has a successful experience.

How does Burke weave clinical education into its outpatient services?

In the past few years, we’ve tried to ramp up student experiences and educational opportunities at our outpatient sites not only to support the growth of the therapy professions and to leave a positive impression on students as they go out into the world, but also to support the growth of our existing staff. We prioritize supporting our staff as they advance their careers, so it’s important to think about how we want to train people. By taking students under their wing and being responsible for their growth, staff can think about how best to mentor people, whether it be students or new hires, as they advance to higher levels within the organization. The entire experience really supports the success of both our students and our own team.

What does this award mean for Burke and its broader commitment to medical education?

This award is truly an honor for the entire Burke family. It’s a testament to the commitment of our staff and really shows that their hard work is being recognized – not only by people internally who see it every day, but also by people on the outside who might not have seen this level of teamwork and collaboration before. Our staff really goes above and beyond, so I’m glad to see their efforts recognized.

What role do outpatient services play in Burke’s mission?

Outpatient services play an integral role in our efforts to provide the best possible care to patients out in the community. Some of the people we work with may have been former inpatients at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, but the majority of our patients actually come from the communities that we’re in. With that in mind, we want to be members of our community and be there for the people within it, offering them what we feel is an extra level of care and service. We want our patients to know that our staff pays attention to detail and spends time with patients in a personalized, one-one manner to maximize each patient’s recovery.

What other exciting developments have Burke’s outpatient services experienced recently?

Earlier this year, we opened up a beautiful outpatient location in West Nyack, NY, and started services this past April. We were also happy to be able to expand two locations in Somers, NY and Purchase, NY. The renovations done to these two sites will allow us to serve more people in the community, which we feel very positively about.

Looking ahead, we’re continuing to expand our outreach by moving into communities we’re not quite as close to already. For example, next year we plan to open two outpatient sites in locations to be announced, which will be very helpful in increasing access to outpatient services for patients in those regions.

How do you see Burke’s outpatient services continuing to develop in the future?

We want to continue to not only attract the best and brightest staff, but also to retain and keep them engaged at Burke. As such, one of the most important things we want to continue to do is listen to our staff and provide them with opportunities to stay curious and grow. When our staff improves, Burke as a whole improves, allowing us to maintain our reputation for excellence. We want to continue to offer services that not only make us proud, but that our patients tell us they’re proud of and encourage them to come to us when there is an opportunity.

About Burke Rehabilitation

Burke Rehabilitation is a nationally recognized and accredited not-for-profit healthcare organization that provides leading physical rehabilitation treatment, research, and graduate medical education. Burke offers a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services to improve the quality of life for people following an injury or surgery and those managing symptoms from chronic conditions. Ranked as a top rehabilitation hospital by U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek, Burke Rehabilitation has the lowest rehabilitation hospital readmission rate in the country and is the largest provider of stroke rehabilitation in New York. In addition to its hospital in White Plains, NY, Burke has 13 outpatient locations throughout the Bronx, Westchester County, and the Hudson Valley. Burke is a proud member of the Montefiore Health System. For more information, please visit www.burke.org