DYSPHAGIA MOBILE IMAGING INC.
WHAT IT IS: Mobile pathology clinic providing videofluoroscopy testing to determine whether people in nursing homes have swallowing disorders, known as dysphagia.
OWNERS: Drs. Jennifer Jones (chief clinical officer) and Gordon Jones (chief executive officer)
ADDRESS: 2315 Central Ave., Augusta
EMPLOYEES: Three (driver, physician and speech-language pathologist)
IN BUSINESS: Since March ; spun off from Dr. Jones' 7-year-old pediatric speech, occupational and physical therapy practice, Therapeutic Interventions of Georgia Inc.
WEB SITE: www.dysphagiamobileimaging.com.
WHAT DO YOU DO? (Gordon) We provide modified barium swallow studies to assess a person's ability to eat and swallow food and liquids safely. We go to nursing homes with a mobile clinic and position the patient within the x-ray so that the speech-language pathologist and the physician can view the patient's mouth, airway and esophagus while he/she swallows food and liquids mixed with barium.
This is a non-invasive assessment and the only means for viewing the entire swallowing tube while eating and drinking.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THIS BUSINESS? Jennifer and I have both earned a doctorate in our respective fields, speech-language pathology and health administration; we are also both very entrepreneurial. Jennifer had been thinking about the great need for such a service in the Augusta area for over 10 years, but has been busy with growing and operating her pediatric practice.
Although I have been extensively trained to run hospitals, my interests have always been with start-up health-are technology ventures. Recently, Jennifer and I were married (November) and I moved to Augusta. While on our honeymoon in South America, we not only enjoyed our personal time together, we also spent time developing the concept of DMI and how to set it into motion.
WHAT YOU LIKE ABOUT THE BUSINESS: As a quintessential entrepreneur, I love the process of learning about a new business, putting the plan together from scratch, developing the relationships with new clients, vendors, and employees, and in particular serving our customer who in our case happens to be some elderly people in great need of a service that they otherwise might not receive.
WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT THE BUSINESS: Business consultants always say the owners should be focused "on" the business rather than working "in" the business; well, we like taking care of patients. If we could do that without worrying about how much Medicare will reduce our reimbursement, how long our invoices are going to take to get paid, and continually struggling with the workforce shortages in health care, we would be "happy campers."
BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN THE BUSINESS: Our challenge right now is educating the physicians so that they can make a great contribution to their field by working with us to provide this service to patients.
WHY YOUR BUSINESS STANDS OUT: In presenting our services to prospective nursing home clients we have illustrated the increase in quality of patient care and the reduced costs of bringing the swallow studies to the patient, instead of sending them to the hospital
ORGANIZATIONS/EVENTS INVOLVED IN: We are most proud of our affiliation with the Foundation for Therapeutic Options, a 501(c)3 organization. Jennifer created the foundation two years ago in order to raise money to pay for speech, language, occupational, and physical therapy for children who were not getting their needed care paid for through other sources. In October, we held our inaugural golf tournament at Champion's Retreat and rose over $22,000 to provide therapy for children. We also gave away a Mercedes Benz to a hole-in-one winner; so if anyone is interested in trying their skill this year please check out www.therapyoptions.org and sign up for this year's tournament.
YOUR BEST BUSINESS ADVICE: Have the passion, but do your homework and prepare appropriately for success, thereby avoiding failure.
MOST IMPORTANT BUSINESS PRINCIPLE: Faith that we are put on earth to serve others; that we will be given the opportunity to be successful in serving others; and that when we recognize that opportunity, we execute on it
ROLE MODELS/INSPIRATIONS: Yes, I know we are newlyweds, but every day I find that Jennifer inspires me to succeed and provides me with a role model I can strive to emulate. I believe this comes from our mutual faith in our purpose for being.
WHERE YOU SEE YOUR BUSINESS IN FIVE YEARS/10 YEARS: Our plan calls for having 20 mobile clinics East and West from Augusta to Charleston and Atlanta. We have started up the American Mobile Dysphagia Imaging Association to help other professionals get started in this business in other parts of the country.
COMPANIES INTERESTED IN BEING BEHIND THE BUSINESS SHOULD CONTACT BUSINESS EDITOR DAMON CLINE AT DAMON.CLINE@AUGUSTA CHRONICLE.COM.
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