We spoke to Kerra Sugden, Senior Manager of Operations and Human Resources at Synergy Rehab to learn more about Synergy’s impressive growth and its mission to provide the utmost quality of patient experience and care.

01. TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF.

Kerra: I am the Senior Manager of Operations and Human Resources at Synergy Rehab. I’ve been with the company for about two years. I’ve seen a lot of growth and expansion in my time at Synergy. My background comes from a variety of different sectors, so I am just hoping to be able to use my experience to contribute to our continued growth.

02. WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

Kerra: We have a lot going on, but any patient care or service inquiries are always our top priority. We have 15 locations around the lower mainland of Vancouver, BC and are in the process of opening 4 more, so there are constant inquiries we need to address. With so much going on we have to be flexible and on our toes every day.

03. WHAT SETS SYNERGY APART?

Kerra: Our biggest differentiator is that we are a one-stop shop. We offer care for Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, RMT, Kinesiology, Clinical Counseling, Acupuncture and Optometry. Say someone needs physical rehabilitation for a sports injury or they have a physical injury from a car accident, they can go into our rehab locations and all the services they need are in-house. No finding different providers and having to go to different locations.

Our administration team works with each patient to walk them through what we offer so they understand and feel comfortable with their care. We cater to the experience that people need to go through to get all the information that they need so that they’re well-supported on their rehab journey.

A Synergy Rehab Location

04. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE CURRENTLY?

Kerra: I think our biggest challenge is ensuring we have the right team allocated to our patients. Because we are so multidisciplinary, we make sure to spend a lot of time building the exact team of care each patient needs. Also, as we learn and grow, we are trying to continue to modernize our techniques, so that all of our patients truly get the best service possible.

05. WHEN IT COMES TO MODERNIZING TECHNIQUES, HOW DO YOU STAY ON TOP OF INDUSTRY TRENDS?

Kerra: We are always open to having vendors bring in their newest pieces of technology to see if we can utilize them to further aid in patient care and recovery.

As well, our therapists are required to further their education each year. Ensuring that they are educated on the newest techniques, trends, and therapy management.

We recently have had some of our chiropractors undergo orthotic training. Orthotics are necessary to address common concerns like plantar fasciitis, foot pain, ankle pain, and all those joint problems that people are seeing in their feet. Our chiropractors underwent training and certification, so they can assess and fit patients for orthotics to relieve their symptoms. This is just one more treatment service that people can come into our locations and receive without having to go and find a different provider for that service.

06. WHAT ARE SOME MAJOR WINS THAT YOU’VE HAD IN THE PAST YEAR?

Kerra: This past year we opened optometry, and that was a huge endeavor for our company. It wasn’t a service that we had offered before so it took a lot of research and analyzing how we can offer our services to that sector.

Another huge win is that we opened up five clinics in the past year!

07. ARE THERE ANY SERVICES YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND LET OTHERS KNOW THAT YOU OFFER?

Kerra: I just want to highlight our back-to-back complimentary treatments, so patients can go in for physio to address a specific injury and pair it with an RMT service straight after to make sure there is no tightness or anything to deal with later. Pairing treatments can truly help our body function better.

We just have very talented individuals and great services across the board.

08. WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN EARLIER IN YOUR CAREER?

Kerra: I am a people person; I went into Human Resources because I enjoy working with people and making great connections. Over my career, I’ve been told that I internalize too much and make things personal. But at this point in my career, I think that it’s been the right approach for me. I care about people and want them to come to work and feel cared for, happy, and motivated.

09. WHAT PERSONALLY DRIVES YOU?

Kerra: I think that having goals and strong internal values has been a motivation throughout my career. I have young kids and I think that it is important when they see me hit my goals, to see that going to work every day has a purpose.

Learn more about Synergy Rehab by visiting their website – synergyrehabilitation.ca.

This interview has been edited and condensed.