2021 Torch Award for Ethics Winner
Spine and Injury Clinic of Laramie (SICL) was founded in 2007 as a chiropractic practice by Dylan Milam and his wife, Kelly Milam. Dylan's brother David joined the practice soon afterward, with the brothers practicing chiropractic medicine and Kelly serving as practice manager. The practice has since grown and evolved to provide a comprehensive and integrated approach to injury and musculoskeletal rehabilitation that includes chiropractic, massage therapy, and physical therapy. Three years ago, the practice moved into its current facility which pairs the Spine and Injury Clinic with Altitude Fitness, also owned by the Milams which provides membership gym services as well as additional space and equipment for physical therapy.
Transformation at the Top
With Spine and Injury Clinic being a family business, the Milams work together closely as a management team but make sure that they do not become insular by making a concerted effort to share practice information with the rest of the staff and remain open for feedback. SICL's code of ethics is not only communicated to the staff regularly but open for discussion and review. The leadership team makes sure to share insights, such as how David will provide leadership books he reads to employees he thinks will be interested in them.
Reinforce and Build
Spine and Injury Clinic uses many of the normal methods to communicate ethical expectations to employees, such as having an employee handbook and reviewing it in detail with new hires. However, a major emphasis on ethical communication is through action. New hires are all put on laundry duty whether they are an intern or doctor of chiropractic medicine, reinforcing the idea of doing little things just as well as big things. Each day, employees are asked to select and practice five out of SICL's eight ethical principles, which leads to the type of focused effort that causes all eight to be practiced regularly.
Unite the Team
A major focus of Spine and Injury Clinic's strategic vision is to be the "best all-around practice." This means putting as much effort, care, and investment into front office staff and interns as into professional providers. This keeps all staff engaged and focused on SICL's continued success rather than separating the employees into providers and support staff. One example of this was when front desk employees were cross-trained in each other's roles, which was initially resisted. However, it paid off during the COVID-19 pandemic when reduced staff in the office meant front desk workers had to pick up each other's functions, and no training was required.
Steer Performance
The primary measures of success at Spine and Injury Clinic of Laramie are patient outcomes and patient satisfaction rather than patient numbers or revenue. This means gathering feedback and reports from patients, providers, and assistants to get a holistic picture of performance. While more challenging to plan for and track than a "one size fits all" approach, the individualized nature of SICL's care also helps grow and retain employees by allowing them to approach each new patient as a chance to learn and innovate rather than applying the same set of steps over and over.
Treasure People
When hiring new employees, the leadership team looks for two things in addition to necessary skills and qualifications. First, are important character traits including being a self-starter and being open to trying new things. The second is how long they have worked at previous positions. This helps Spine and Injury Clinic hire long-term employees who can adapt and grow with the practice rather than just filling immediate needs.
Enthusiastically Reinvest!
The Milams are deeply rooted in the Laramie community and look to give back in as many ways as possible through charitable donations, sponsorship, volunteer time, and board service. Spine and Injury Clinic also provides donated services twice a week to the University of Wyoming athletic department and offers many internships to students in UW's Division of Kinesiology and Health. The clinic is also committed to advancing and promoting its interdisciplinary approach to injury rehabilitation across the healthcare industry.