Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Dr. Tourage Rafeei was a student at Tehran University when a sports injury prompted him to become interested in the field of physical therapy. Moving to the United States, Dr. Rafeei earned his MS in Physical Therapy from Texas Women’s University in 1991. “Being from Iran I was told to think high,” says Dr. Rafeei. “The philosophy there is that in order to excel you must attain the highest educational background.” After living in Dallas, Dr. Rafeei moved to Richmond and earned his combined PhD in Physical Therapy and Anatomy in 1999 from MCV. With his advanced degree, Dr. Rafeei is able to offer his patients a wider view of treatment possibilities, as well as allow him to overcome the obstacles faced by insurance companies to carry his practice and persuade doctors to refer their clients.
In 2001 he opened his first location in Henrico County, across from Regency Mall. “After living in Richmond and studying here, I knew that Henrico offered a better area to live for my family, and I saw the growth and opportunity the area provided,” said Dr. Rafeei. In 2003 an opportunity to move his practice opened up and the Center for Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, PC opened its current location on Springfield Road.
In time, word has spread about the high level of care and treatment that his staff provides. From 2003 to 2004, the practice treated 49 percent more new patients; the clinic had a total of approximately 11,000 patient visits in 2004. The clinic has also enjoyed steady revenue growth over the years for an increase of 293 percent since 2001, says Dr. Rafeei.
Now, a few short years after opening his first location, Dr. Rafeei’s practice is being hailed as the best in the nation. The award, given by ADVANCE for Directors in Rehabilitation, not only looks at the treatment provided, but also at the organization as a whole. The judges, all physical therapists in private practices, gave the center the highest combined score in categories such as customer service, practice growth, revenue growth and recruiting/staff development.
In addition to the Springfield Road location in 2005 the Center for Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, PC opened its second location in the Richmond area in the Richmond Ballet building. There the location serves the public and the ballet dancers. “We are, of course, excited to help all of the dancers in the Richmond Ballet to make sure they are performing in peak fitness,” said Dr. Rafeei. Dr. Rafeei believes most of this growth stems from excellent customer service. “We never treat patients like a number,” he says. This commitment to offering the highest quality one-on-one care is what led Dr. Rafeei to open his first office after working at other prestigious clinics, including the Texas Back Institute and the Plano Sports Rehabilitation Center in Dallas.
“They always say that with any business it is location that is most important, but the truth is customer service is king,” said Dr. Rafeei. The clinic has a number of policies that contribute to this high level of customer service. These guidelines include: patient calls are returned the same day, new patients are seen within 24 hours of referral when required, staff members make follow-up calls with clients after their first visit, physicians and treating clinicians receive typed evaluations, reports and discharge summaries promptly, just to name a few. The clinic also publishes a quarterly newsletter with educational materials and health-related updates. Dr. Rafeei is proud of the staff and team he’s put together. The 11-member clinical staff doesn’t hesitate to ask each other for help if they can’t figure out a tough case, he says. “We learn from each other,” he adds. “It’s a real team effort.”
“If you take care of patients,” Dr. Rafeei says, “other aspects of the business will fall into place.”
