February 22 - 25, 2024

Growth Code 2024 Agenda

We are beyond excited to continue many of our 2023 Growth Code Conference traditions while taking into account all of our attendee’s feedback and creating a very special schedule and experience in 2024. We are building an agenda and schedule that nurtures knowledge, collaboration, and connection! Please be advised that the schedule below is subject to change at any time and is not a guarantee. Those that are signing up to attend the conference recognize that the schedule, agenda, and speakers may change at any given time.

GROWTH CODE 2024

FULL SCHEDULE

There will be opportunities to tap into consultants, industry experts, and business leaders in every session and activity of the conference. It will feature general sessions, breakout session workshops and constructive collaboration sessions based on hot topics.

Please be advised that the schedule, speakers, and topics below are subject to change at any time based on unforeseen circumstances. Click the button below to download the schedule to have at easy access during the conference. You will also be provided with a printed handout magazine with the schedule as well.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Pre-Conference Workshops

In 2024, we are offering two pre-conference bootcamps for you to choose from. The pre-conference bootcamps are a full day of content, interactive learning, and targeting a knowledge base that can transform the way your private practice functions. Anyone that signs up for a pre-conference bootcamp will be able to join in on breakfast, lunch, and snacks!

The 2024 Pre-Conference Bootcamp Options:

1. Pediatric Therapy Medical Billing Bootcamp

Presented By Rick Gawenda

Bring your billing manager, operations manager, and anyone else that supports your practice in billing insurance. This bootcamp is a can’t miss event. Our medical billing bootcamp is an additional expense as part of our pre-conference bootcamps. Rick Gawenda is a medical billing consultant and expert for over 20 years specializing in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy. This full day medical billing bootcamp will cover many nuts and bolts related to the medical billing of therapy services. The exact topics and timing may be subject to change but here is a sample of what may be covered in this bootcamp:

Speech Therapy CPT Coding and Billing (1.5 hours) – Cover various CPT codes available to SLP’s and what interventions are included within each code. Discuss NCCI edits and give examples of what can and can’t be billed on the same date of service. This section will include 3-5 different billing scenario’s to help them bill correctly.
Occupational & Physical Therapy CPT Coding and Billing (1.5 hours) – Cover various CPT codes available to Ots and PTs and what interventions are included within each code. Discuss NCCI edits and give examples of what can and can’t be billed on the same date of service. This section will include 3-5 different billing scenario’s to help them bill correctly.
Documentation Compliance (1.5 hours) – Cover high-level documentation to support need for skilled therapy, how to write function-based goals and how to support skilled services in your daily notes.
Optimization Of Your Medical Billing & Function (1 hour) – Cover many factors to keep in mind related to modifiers, medical billing denials, and optimization of the way your practice functions.
Q & A (30 minutes) – Bring some questions and let’s turbo charge your medical billing approach!

Rick Gawenda, PT

is a licensed physical therapist with over 30 years of experience and currently serves as the founder and President of Gawenda Seminars & Consulting, Inc. He has provided valuable education and consulting to hospitals, private practices, skilled nursing facilities, and rehabilitation agencies in the areas of CPT coding, ICD-10 coding, billing, documentation compliance, revenue enhancement, practice management, and denial management as they relate to outpatient therapy services. Mr. Gawenda has presented nationally since 2004 and currently presents approximately 100 dates per year around the United States.

2. Making Your Metrics Matter Bootcamp

Presented By Brandon Seigel

Are you scared of numbers? Do you get overwhelmed by metrics? Are you seeking a crash course on understanding different aspects of metrics, what to measure, when to measure it, and creating your own guide of what metrics your practice would benefit from? If you answered “YES” then this is your bootcamp to attend. Our metrics bootcamp is an additional expense as part of our pre-conference bootcamps. Brandon Seigel is a private practice operations consultant for over 15 years. This full day metrics bootcamp will cover many nuts and bolts related to measuring analytics in your private practice inclusive of key performance indicators, financial analytics, and how to utilize metrics within your accountability and gamification approaches. The exact topics and timing may be subject to change but here is a sample of what may be covered in this bootcamp:

Understanding & Defining Your Business Algorithm – Covering the analytical system to the way your business functions and how to measure functionality.
Developing Your Why For Utilizing Metrics – Covering the factors that we look at when defining what metrics, we should measure and how that correlates with your vision, mission, and outcomes.
Identifying The Variables Of Metrics With Examples – There are thousands of metrics that can be measured but understanding which metrics are applicable and assessment of which ones you should measure are crucial to efficiency and effectiveness. Throughout this section of the bootcamp, we will look at many of the most measured metrics in private practice.
Understanding The Frequency Of Measurement & How To Apply Metrics Within Your Policies, Procedures, & Gamification – Sometimes the most important factor in metrics is knowing the frequency of measurement and how to utilize it within the function of your practice including accountability, procedures, and more! This section covers the correlation between what to measure, when to measure, and how to utilize it within the function of your practice.
Q & A – Bring some questions and let’s turbo charge your metrics approach!

Brandon Seigel

Brandon Seigel is a bestselling author, internationally recognized private practice guru, and the President of Wellness Works Management Partners. Seigel brings over twenty years of executive leadership experience. Throughout his storied career, Seigel has empowered healthcare systems and private practices throughout the United States to streamline operations, build winning teams, implement effective business models, and ultimately transform archaic systems into innovative success. Seigel consults with over 700 healthcare organizations and has built a revolutionary deconstructed MSO which is transforming the way healthcare is delivered.

Thank You For Your Support!

Our Sponsored Toolkit

Medical Billing & Revenue Cycle Management

Wellness Works Medical Billing is redefining the way that private practices get paid! As insurances are reducing payment and audits are on the rise, our team of certified billers and coders are here to partner with private practices to support the day-to-day headaches of getting paid. Our vision is for our team to be an extension of your team and unlock more time in your day so you can focus on your patients. Visit our website by clicking the button below:

Meet our 2024 Speakers

Kerri Bailey

Kerri Bailey is an occupational therapist and a Sr. Executive Director for Cicero Therapies. Kerri co-founded Child’s Play Therapy Center, based in Birmingham, AL in 2007, and grew it into 4 locations with 80 employees. In 2020, she entered into a partnership with Cicero Therapies, and now operationally supports 2 additional practices, McCulloh Therapeutic Services in Greenville and Spartanburg, SC, and KidSpeak Speech and Language Services in Charlotte. Kerri is passionate about mentoring strong leaders, enabling them to achieve their goals while supporting the long term vision of the business. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her twin granddaughters, traveling, and curling up with a good book.

Dee Bills

As a physical therapist for almost 20 years, I loved helping people. And while I was great at it, something was always missing. When I took over the front office of my husband's private practice, I realized that not only did I love helping people, I was able to take my experience and create front office training and a system of patient management that completely transformed his practice! Soon, other practice owners were coming to me for help with their front desk training. And I became known as the "Front Office GURU". Since 2016 I've been sharing my training and system of patient management with practice across the globe and have helped them have similar results. Not only do I have the opportunity to help practices increase revenue, I've also been able to help great staff find a higher purpose!

Scott Booher, MBA

Scott Booher, MBA is the Chief Human Resources Officer of Every Child Achieves & Chief HR Consultant for Wellness Works Management Partners. Scott Booher brings over 25 years of experience in the Healthcare Sector and has been specializing in human resources & workforce compliance for the past 19 years. Scott is the Chief HR Officer for Every Child Achieves as well as the Chief HR Consultant in collaboration with Wellness Works Management Partners which he oversees the fractional HR management program. Scott’s passion stems from the concept that human resources can be a cornerstone of how businesses function...

Scott is passionate about unlocking the pain points in any private practice’s workforce and creating strategies and relationships that change the way outcomes are reached within the organization. Scott elevates the way that a private practice reaches milestones by connecting and solving problems that relate to human capital, policies and procedures, labor compliance, and employee culture. Scott is an active member of the Society of Human Resources Managers (SHRM) and is a pinnacle leader and collaborator in partnership with Brandon Seigel for over 10 years.

Erin Clemens

Erin Clemens is a multi-talented occupational therapist, successful entrepreneur, and productivity specialist, renowned for her expertise in all fields. She has served as an adjunct professor, President of the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association, and on multiple boards. She is the founder and CEO of Pediatric Achievements as well as several other business ventures. As a productivity specialist, Erin has honed her skills in coaching and training both individuals and groups to effectively manage their schedules, priorities, time, and tasks, fostering a...

greater sense of productivity, accomplishment, and control over how their time is utilized. Through her unique combination of knowledge in occupational therapy, business ownership, leadership roles, and time management, Erin empowers others to overcome challenges, optimize their daily routines, find greater work-life integration, and achieve their goals with confidence and success.

Zach Dewitt

Zach Dewitt is the President Of Evolved Strategic Marketing. Zach is an accomplished entrepreneur and marketing specialist with over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing. He has established himself as a leading figure in the industry, having created over a billion dollars in sales for his clients throughout his career. Aside from his impressive professional achievements, Zach is also an accomplished author, having published several books on marketing and entrepreneurship. His expertise and insights have helped countless individuals and businesses achieve success in their respective industries".

Dr. Laura Park Figueroa, PhD, OTR/L

Dr. Laura Park Figueroa, PhD, OTR/L is the founder of Outdoor Kids OT, Inc., a nature-based pediatric occupational therapy practice, and Therapy in the Great Outdoors, LLC, an online multi-disciplinary resource hub for nature-based pediatric therapists. She is the creator of the ConTiGO Approach, an evidence-based treatment model for nature-based pediatric therapy. Her PhD research focused on explaining the mechanisms of change at work in nature-based pediatric therapy. Connect with her on Instagram @lauraparkfig

April Goodwin

April S. Goodwin is the founding attorney at The Goodwin Firm, P.A., located in St. Petersburg, FL. She is originally from Lima, Ohio. She received her bachelor’s of science degree in psychology from The Ohio State University and her juris doctorate from Ohio Northern University. She has been a member of the Florida Bar since 2001 and opened The Goodwin Firm in 2015. The Goodwin Firm is a boutique law firm representing small businesses and non-profits in all matters related to employment, trademark, and general business issues as well as another unique area of practice – pet law. When not getting paid to argue, she does it for free with her significant other of 22 years, Ryan, and also enjoys spending time with her dog Chewbacca.

Joy Gendusa

Joy Gendusa is an entrepreneur, business owner, author, keynote speaker and philanthropist. With only a phone, a computer and postcards (no funding of any kind!), Joy grew her company, PostcardMania, from a small startup into an industry leader that generated over $97 million in 2022, currently employs 350 people and spans a 75,000 sq ft custom-built facility in sunny Clearwater, FL. Since the pandemic, Joy has accelerated PostcardMania’s consistent growth, with annual revenues growing an average of 20% year over year following a decade of averaging 5% growth...

PostcardMania has been featured on the Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 lists, printed 2.3 billion postcards, delivered over 250,000 campaigns, and helped over 100,000 small business owners with their marketing. Joy’s marketing strategies and accomplishments are much sought-after and can be seen in the pages of Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc. Magazine, Adweek, Business Insider, and on stage at today’s premier business growth and leadership seminars.

Rick Gawenda, PT

Sean Healy

Sean Healy is the founder of Accounted4, a company that provides financial clarity, CFO support & bookkeeping solutions to private practice owners. After building a successful career in accounting, consulting & financial sales, Sean began to realize there was a lack of tools and resources that would allow entrepreneurs to look at their finances & cash flow proactively vs. after the fact. In 2019 Sean created Accounted4, which has helped dozens of business owners, spanning over 20 states, take back financial control by challenging the traditional ways cash flow is managed, providing easy to understand reporting and offering a support system to help make smarter day to day financial decisions.

Gayle Ver Hey, SPHR, SHRM-SCPI

Gayle Ver Hey, SPHR, SHRM-SCPI, is the Chief Strategy + Talent Officer, and founder of VOLT Strategy, a business consulting firm that focuses on providing support and resources focused on Strategy, Culture, and Talent. Gayle’s career in Transportation Operations, Safety, Workers Compensation and Human Resources has given her a wide range of real-world business experience and a true understanding of the pressure and challenges that business leaders face and realization that the biggest impact is made when employees are engaged and committed to the direction of the business...

Embracing the challenges of building cooperative leadership teams, Gayle uses her leadership experience to teach leaders how to effectively manage their team based on data. Gayle uses Predictive Index, a research backed tool, that measures employee motivations, behaviors and team workstyles to help businesses hire, retain the right people.

Yves A. Martin

Yves A. Martin is a highly skilled cybersecurity expert with over two decades of experience building and managing secure IT infrastructures. Yves has worked for a multitude of organizations including Department of Defense contractors implementing and maintaining their cybersecurity systems. He has extensive knowledge of the full cybersecurity stack including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, antivirus technology, application ring fencing, network hardening, device hardening and more. In 2006 he founded MQUAL as an advanced IT engineering and support company to deliver high quality expert services to small and large

businesses across a variety of industries. Over the years he has built up a team of knowledgeable, experienced engineers who have been there, done that and seen it all. Yves is passionate about educating others about IT and cybersecurity and can be encountered as a speaker at different industry conferences giving presentations on information security and how to maintain compliance standards like HIPAA, NIST and NISC Common Standards on Information Security Measures of Government Entities.

MARK MARTUKOVICH, C.P.A.

MARK MARTUKOVICH, C.P.A. is Managing Partner of Business Advisory and Accounting Partners. Mark graduated from The University of Akron in 1990 with a degree in accounting and is a licensed C.P.A. in Florida and Ohio. Mark began his career as a staff accountant in Cleveland, OH in 1989. He transitioned into Director of Business Development in 1996 for the College Store Trade Association. Mark spent 10 years as a commercial banker in the Tampa Bay area has nearly 20 years of business development and consulting experience...

having worked with small and medium-sized businesses. He serves on the Board of Directors of the SPCA Tampa Bay. Since joining the firm, Mark has focused on building a business advisory consulting model that takes a holistic approach to tax efficiency and planning for his clients. A leader in the accounting industry, Mark is dedicated to using his expertise and business acumen to help his peers adapt to the changing accounting landscape. He is one of the lead presenters for the Thomson Reuters flagship thought leadership event series, Partner Summit: Moving Your Practice Forward, which helps accounting firms become the trusted business advisors their clients need.

Eric Miller

Eric has served over 20 years in the financial industry and co-owns a national financial planning company dedicated to serving the needs of healthcare owners. He has personally had over 20,000 conversations with practice owners at every phase of ownership. He has published countless articles, videos and podcasts on various financial topics and is an expert on matters concerning creating economic independence for a practice owner’s business and household. He has recently published a book “How To Become a Financial Beast” which quickly became a bestseller on Amazon.

Candice Mullendore

Candice is a licensed occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience across various healthcare settings including hospitals, home health, schools, and private practices. In 2008, she opened and became President at Pediatric Therapy Center, which has grown to become the largest multi-disciplinary pediatric private practice in the Omaha, NE area. Candice holds the position of Vice President of Policy and Advocacy for the Nebraska Occupational Therapy Association and serves as an alternate member on the RUC committee for the American Occupational Therapy Association...

Candice is also a founding member of a groundbreaking multidisciplinary health care advocacy group in Nebraska. Since its inception in 2017, this group has proven to be a trailblazer in the field, working diligently to reform policies and legislation surrounding occupational, physical, and speech therapy. Their efforts have been recognized on both national and state levels, with presentations at conferences aimed at transforming policy, reimbursement, and advocacy for the benefit of patients and providers alike. While her areas of clinical expertise lie in infant feeding and swallowing dysfunction, as well as orofacial myofunctional therapy, it is worth mentioning Candice’s exceptional skills in consulting with fellow business leaders. She demonstrates unwavering determination when assisting with insurance, billing, reimbursement, policy, advocacy, and practice management challenges. Candice personifies the mission of Pediatric Therapy Center to “Empower children, families, and communities.” Her leadership of Pediatric Therapy Center and involvement with state and national organizations showcase her commitment as an advocate for meaningful change.

Brandon Seigel

Dr. Jamey Schrier

Dr. Jamey Schrier is a physical therapist, former private practice owner, author of The Practice Freedom Method and founder of Practice Freedom U, a company solely focused on helping physical therapists build highly profitable practices while becoming “operationally irrelevant”, allowing them to live a more fulfilled and balanced life. After expanding and successfully selling his own PT business, Jamey began teaching practice owners and their teams his proven business building methodology that shows physical therapists’ step by step how to overcome their immediate challenges to create a financially stable practice they love and a well-balanced life they deserve.

Sharif Zeid

Sharif Zeid is a business director at Empower EMR, the EMR built around automation – on the web at empoweremr.com. He has been in the rehab tech space for almost 20 years and has worked with tons of therapy practices over the years. His drive is to help every practice leverage tech to strengthen every aspect of a rehab practice’s operations from core things like EMR, scheduling, and billing to the cutting edge like powering a modern patient experience and driving automated marketing efforts. He loves working with people and treating every day like an opportunity.

February 22 - 25, 2024

Growth Code 2024 Agenda

GROWTH CODE 2024

FULL SCHEDULE

February 22 (Pre-Conference Bootcamps)

7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m

9 a.m. to Noon – Pre-Conference Bootcamps (Pick One)

Noon to 1:30 p.m

1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Pre-Conference Bootcamps Cont.

4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Welcome Reception

February 23 (Day 1)

6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m – GENERAL SESSION

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m

1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – GENERAL SESSION

3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m – BREAK OUT SESSIONS (PICK ONE)

6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. – Optional Dinner Cruise (ADDITIONAL COST)

February 24 (Day 2)

6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m – GENERAL SESSION

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m

1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – BREAKOUT SESSIONS (PICK ONE)

3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m – BREAK OUT SESSIONS (PICK ONE)

6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. – Optional Dinner Collaboration (ADDITIONAL COST)

February 25 (Day 3)

6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m – GENERAL SESSION

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m

1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – BREAKOUT SESSIONS (PICK ONE)

2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m – Closing Session

Pre-Conference Workshops

1. Pediatric Therapy Medical Billing Bootcamp

Presented By Rick Gawenda

Rick Gawenda, PT

2. Making Your Metrics Matter Bootcamp

Presented By Brandon Seigel

Brandon Seigel

Thank You For Your Support!

Our Sponsored Toolkit

Econologics Financial Advisors & Insurance Agency

OT/PT/SLP EMR Platform

Accounted4

Graphic Design & Marketing Services

Human Resources Management Services

Medical Billing & Revenue Cycle Management

Meet our 2024 Speakers

Kerri Bailey

Dee Bills

Scott Booher, MBA

Erin Clemens

Zach Dewitt

Dr. Laura Park Figueroa, PhD, OTR/L

April Goodwin

Joy Gendusa

Rick Gawenda, PT

Sean Healy

Gayle Ver Hey, SPHR, SHRM-SCPI

Yves A. Martin

MARK MARTUKOVICH, C.P.A.

Eric Miller

Candice Mullendore

Brandon Seigel

Dr. Jamey Schrier

Sharif Zeid

Thank You For Inquiring!