Meet the Team at Next-Gen!
For the past several months, physiotherapist Tom Russell of Next-Gen Physiotherapy has been sharing his knowledge with us – helping us to combat the aches and pains of modern living through physiotherapy. This month we turned the tables on tom to find out about his practice and passion for helping people feel good.
Hi Tom! Please introduce yourself, your qualifications and areas of speciality?
Tom Russell, Physiotherapist and Owner of Next-Gen Physio. My speciality area is basically working with any individual who is on the path to improving themselves and is keen to sort out an injury or area of pain, prevent injury and perform better in sport or life!
Tell us about Next-Gen Physiotherapy – what is your mission, what services do you offer, and where are you located?
Next-Gen Physio is located at 4/76 Park Avenue, Kotara (opposite Westfield). We offer physiotherapy, dry needling and remedial massage services. Our mission is to provide a professional and caring environment that focuses on patient outcomes. We believe in reducing patients pain symptoms while also focusing on long results through exercise prescription. We also think a decent dose of banter is a necessary component of a physiotherapy clinic!
Tell us a little about the NextGen team – who is involved in each area of the practice, what is their role and how long has each person been there?
There are nine of us here at Next-Gen, about to be ten which is exciting! We have four full-time physios in the clinic, including me – Dave Kimber and Michael Cox have been with the practice for four years, and Steve Lamond has been with the practice for just over a year! We also have two massage therapists, Adam Casey is full-time and has been with us since September last year, and Adam Rippon is part-time and has been with us since 2015. Sophie Prisk is our Practice Manager and has been with us for three years. April Gialouris has been with us since 2016, and Kim Siggers since 2018. Both share the role of awesome-receptionists! We have a small, close-knit team and have built an incredible culture here at Next-Gen, it is something I am very proud of.
What motivated you to open your own clinic, and what keeps you turning up every day? What do you like most about physiotherapy?
I was initially motivated to open my clinic because I felt like the industry was a bit stuck. Almost seven years ago, when Next-Gen started, a lot of physio clinics were still seeing multiple patients at a time and having an impersonal feel.
Curtained off cubicles aren’t fun for anyone! I wanted to provide a very one-on-one based service and felt the best way to do this was to open my own clinic!
Who is your “usual” patient? Are you seeing any trends or a change in the type of patient you treat?
We tend to see two different types of patients; those in crisis mode (significant injury or pain) or those wanting to sort out a niggle or just move better. Both are equally rewarding, and thankfully more and more patients are choosing to seek advice earlier when in pain rather than waiting until they are in crisis mode! Although we love helping patients with chronic concerns, It’s much easier for us to sort a problem out if it hasn’t persisted for too long.
Do you see any key trends in your industry that you are working towards? Do you have a vision for NextGen moving forward?
An exciting trend in healthcare in the future could be VR (virtual reality) as a means of providing healthcare to rural and remote areas or those who may have difficulty attending a physical appointment. Super-fascinating and definitely something to keep an eye out for!
Visit www.nextgenphysio.com.au for more information.
