Welcome to the MedCoShare Podcast, where we explore the experiences of private practice healthcare practitioners today. In this episode, we delve into the journey of Dr. Tim Legath, a board-certified chiropractor with a passion for sports injuries and soft tissue care.
Ronak 0:00
Welcome to the MedCoShare Podcast, the podcast where we learn everything about what it's like to be a private practice healthcare practitioner in today's world. We dig deep into the challenges of being a healthcare practitioner, but also the rewarding aspects that the work entails. My name is Ronak Vyas and I'm the CEO and co founder of MedCoShare. On today's episode we have Dr. Tim Legath. Dr. Legath is a board certified chiropractor who has been in practice for almost 10 years. He graduated from National University of Health Sciences in Lombard Illinois. After spending almost 10 years working at different aspects and fine tuning his craft, he decided to open up his own practice, Keystone Spine and Sport. He specializes in traditional chiropractic care along with soft tissue and sports injuries by providing a hands on technique to help repair damaged tissues. Throughout his career, not only as he treated weekend warriors and athletes alike, but he's also had experience with treating division one college, professional, and Olympic athletes. In his spare time he enjoys working out playing ice hockey and spending time with his wife and five month old son. Dr. Legath has recently joined MedCoShare in King of Prussia's facility. Tim, welcome to the show, why don't you start with telling us a little bit about yourself and what made you became a physician?
Dr. Tim Legath 1:15
Sure, so I grew up playing ice hockey, as well as all different types of sports my whole life. And when I was about 15 Just a very high active, you know, playing travel, high school, and all that. I started actually getting a lot of back pain, I started get a lot of back spasms, you know, to the point where it affected my ability to play and actually so much to the point where I did almost kind of get carried off I remember after a tournament and my mom who she's a nurse and you know very within the know as far as you know, health field and everything, that upset when I you know had my back completely go out I couldn't move she took me to the ER that night and of course they do X rays and they give me pain pills and everything. And, you know, they talked about you know, you could do this rehab that rehab you know, whether you need surgery down the line, all types of just stuff at 15 years old, it's kind of eye popping. So my mom's side well, before we take any drastic steps or anything, let's try our family chiropractor. Someone she's gone to for how long and every now and then he'd see me and make me feel better. And after two weeks I felt completely fine as if I had no pain or anything like that. So I think kind of having that experience. I kind of gravitated towards that as well as my mom being a nurse I've always sort of been exposed to the health field and you know, I decided I wanted to help people with a more hands on approach you know, rather than you know more the allopathic way if you will so so that's kind of led me to that interest there. And then you know, go into the chiro space I sort of figured out different techniques and what worked for me and everything and I've also been able to work it how many different practices to the point where I'm at now that's really kept me going there.
Ronak 2:55
Yeah, so back pain is you know something I've been suffering since high school as well I used to run track and play basketball and I think all the you know the twisting and the jumping, I've had you know years and years of of back pain to the point we're actually least I saw a mutual friend of ours Dr. Andrew Gross in the Marlton location so he he helped me out a little bit. So tell us a little bit more about you know where you were before MedCoShare and then what made you want to join us over here in King of Prussia?
Dr. Tim Legath 3:26
So my my experience has been fairly unique if you will a lot of different rows you never thought you traveled down before. So speaking of our mutual friend Dr. Gross here, him and I were roommates in National University. And he had always had the vision of coming back to South Jersey and he started working for an established practice out there. And I actually fell in love with the greater Chicagoland area to the point where I thought I was gonna stay out there. I had a job lined up actually bought a condo and everything. And it was in my final semester work in the clinic and everything like that. I had gotten a call at the time he was the chiropractor for the for the Phillies. And he called me and he said, Hey, I've heard about you, I want you to come work for me. Let's try to build up a business and I was like, Okay, so, so I didn't have my condo for a year, sold that ended up moving back into Philly here, which I'm not to far, I'm originally from Lehigh Valley, so I was familiar with the area and everything. And we tried that didn't quite necessarily work the way we thought. So that's where Dr. Gross thankfully, I reached an olive branch and said, hey, we'd love to have you on board. You know, I've been thinking about you for a while. I think you'd be a great asset to our team and everything so, so we were working for a practice in South Jersey. I was there for about a year and a half or so whatever. And then I actually ended up stumbling across another practice along the along the Jersey Shore, if you will, very multidisciplinary clinic if you will. That's a long story how I ended up there but I ended up moving. I lived a block off the beach in Asbury Park, and I miss that life every day.
Dr. Tim Legath 3:48
Any surfing out there?
Dr. Tim Legath 3:51
No, no, I'd be a terrible surfer. So that coordination never hit me for whatever it's worth. But I've working for a major practice out there and I got to learn a lot as far as just business aspects. So it wasn't just too much treating, as as I suppose it was a lot more of how to handle different types of referrals and working with you know, physical therapists, acupuncturist, medical doctors, you name it, all that type of stuff. That was going well for a few years and then it kind of just got a little corporate, got a little too corporate for me. Where a lot of dynamics had changed a lot of faces that you know, we were comfortable with had left. And then it got to a point where I wasn't you know, I was started seeing what else is out there, because it's not now the style, I really want to practice. My job was to, I always envisioned, treat people that I wanted to, you know, I wanted to treat them and help them the way I wanted to where they're trying to shoehorn a different style. So that's where I started keeping an eye out, you know, what else is out there? Do I want to do my own thing or whatever. I end up stumbling across a another practice in Bryn Mawr here, not too far from King of Prussia here with another doctor. And he had a very unique opportunity. He's been in practice for 30 something years. And he was looking to bring someone on and with the hopes of maybe, you know, buying him out in the future, whatever it might be, we had all different plans and dynamics and stuff. But it's very unique opportunity that opened up a brand new set of doors for me and working with, I was lucky enough to work with the University of Pennsylvania, all their athletes and everything. We got to work with the Philadelphia Flyers all different, you know, types of different doctors, pain management, psychiatrists, orthros, from Rothman, Jefferson, you name it, the big guns, if you will, here. So that was a very unique opportunity I'm greatly appreciative of, and it just got to got to the point where maybe it wasn't unfolding the way we thought. So once again, I was left of what do you want to do Tim? You know, what, what, you know, what road Do you want to go down. And I was actually thankful to forever grateful for Dr. Gross. He's one who, you know, I reached out to him and ask him about MedCo. And he has been very, very forthright and open about his experience how much he loves it, how grateful and he wouldn't have it any other way. So. So with honestly, his words and looking into it more, it allowed me to be able to do my own thing the way I want with a very easy convenient approach to it, if you will, as well as me living, maybe not even 10 minutes away from here has been super nice. But I decided to take that risk from that job to you know, this is what I always want to do is do my own thing in my own way instead of going yet another associate ship or anything like that. So just gathering all the information together, I decide to open up Keystone Spine Sport with MedCo here, so it's a very long winded,
Ronak 7:49
Yeah, we, we love having you. And you know, with a five month old son, it's important to have that flexibility and to be so close to her as well.
Dr. Tim Legath 8:00
Yeah, with my wife Now getting back into work and she works from home, which has been nice, but she also has a lot of meetings and stuff and there's times where I need to break my schedule to help her and him and everything like that. So the honestly again, the convenience of MedCo and just also allowed me to, you know, be my own, you know, self sustained business here, if you will, allows me to get it gives me that freedom, if you will, to help you know, work and family and everything like that. So it's been nothing, nothing but extraordinary as far as just the convenience MedCo has provided for me.
Ronak 8:33
Yeah, no, thank you for that. So, going back to your practice, what are some of the services you provide? And you know, do you do you guys work with insurance companies or just how do you operate?
Dr. Tim Legath 8:46
So as I always tell people you know, it's we are chiropractors I think most people have that idea in their head of what chiropractic is whether it's good or bad, it's everyone has their own idea of you know, the old adjustments and you know, traditional chiropractor, which we do and love, you know, doing the adjustments helps, you know, get pain down and everything and restore range of motion. I also specialize as well as Dr. Gross, I was going to keep bringing him up. We specialize in a soft tissue technique. And essentially, our job is to help almost remodel soft tissue and works very well with soft tissue injuries, sports injuries, everything all alike. Even people sit at a desk all day, where muscles just tend to tighten up. You cannot say loosen up, if you will, we get to see a ton of those types of patients as well. Really, the nitty gritty of this technique is just trying to help provide better blood flow moving to the body. As I said, moving to the best medicine. It's tough that we have damaged tissue. So combine that with you know chiropractic adjustments I have found has made tremendous improvements in people's progress. As well as you know, we do a couple of different things as well as using small different instruments to help you know, work with soft tissues and stuff, as well as providing different types of rehab exercises and stuff but my my bread and butter is not only the chiropractic adjustments, but a lot of the soft tissue work, which has worked tremendously well with athletes. And again, even people from working from home, as far as insurance is right now it is cash based, but I'm in the process of getting credentialed in network, that just takes forever. But I will be working with, you know, Medicare, you know, Cigna, United, Blue Cross, and Aetna is gonna have to take a little longer, but I am looking to get with all the major medical providers, but right now it is cash basis.
Ronak 10:32
Sure, so the fee for service is it, you know, is it a monthly subscription, or the people pay as they use?
Dr. Tim Legath 10:39
it's, it's, it's not monthly, it's sort of a pay as you use. There's a initial consultation fee, and that includes 45 minutes of history eval treatment and treatment plan, that comes out to $100 for that service, follow up treatments, 20 to 30 minute treatment kind of catered to what you need their full treatment, everything that's $60. I'm also offering cash packages as well. So for five treatments, you pay 270. And for 10 treatments, you pay 540. So a little bit of discount as well, those don't, you know, you can use those as you need those don't expire or anything like that. So, but it seems to be a model so far that people have been very appreciative and no issues at all or anything.
Ronak 11:23
Sure, and is that common in for chiropractors? Or is that something that's, you know, a new trend that that's that's coming out?
Dr. Tim Legath 11:31
I feel like it's becoming more common because I think the insurance game has kind of gotten a little complex, whether it's, again, whether you're able to get in network, or I think people in providers, even patients as well just kind of get frustrated overall, with the with the insurance agenda, if you will. So I feel like you see more providers sign so much chiropractic, I've seen a lot of physical therapists, a lot of private family practices, if you will, all over. I feel like people are coming more to the cash based system there, if you will. And I think what's also made it easier for patients is, you know, your your newly modeled HSAs FSA models, which we do accept, you know, as far as payment as well, you see a lot of companies maybe breaking away from these outrageous, expensive insurance plans and say, Hey, here's insurance, here's health money, HSA, FSA, use it however you'd like to as well. So I think you see a lot a big shift in that model from all insurance to this more of a hybrid blend of, we'll see some insurances, but make it to a cash system as well, that works for works for people there.
Ronak 12:41
Yeah, so you mentioned you've worked with Olympic athletes, just tell me a little bit what what that was like.
Dr. Tim Legath 12:48
It's, it's weird, it's you think you get a little starstruck. But it's you treat you know, they're looking for people just, you know, they're people just looking to get help. But it's, it's, I find it gratifying, just being an athlete, and you know, not that I played professional or anything but, but I love I still have that competitive fire, I still do Joy playing ice hockey, of course. So I still appreciate that fire of wanting to be the best and you'll do all that, you know, you'll take every advantage you can get to, to be the best so so it's, it's, it's really unique, it's really appreciative, and if you do good work, they continue to come back and appreciate your services, as well as, again, professional athletes, and I've been fortunate to work with, you know, almost all the pro teams around here and you know, in other places as well. So it's, it's cool, but it's, you know, there are people looking to get help, and at the end of day you treat as a business and, you know, you catch yourself not really fanboying or anything, it's like they're just like everyone else and and, you know, just looking to get help, and it's fun to have conversations because it especially you know, working with some of the flyers last year, it's funny where you think I'd be fanboying because the flyer, you know, Philadelphia Flyers, I grew up idolizing them and you know, Eric Lindros specifically, but they're more interested in hearing my bear league stories if you will love like, how was this tournament and on like, it just sounds so much fun and laid back so they were much more interested in hearing about that than me wanting to ask them about their careers or anything so so it's that's always a fun experience working with those people but you you work on them you realize, hey, they're just they're people just like you and me just looking to get help. And how do I how do I feel better about my my health and my body? So
Ronak 14:32
Yeah, no, I mean, you look like you're in great shape. And so I actually wore my sports clothes today. So you know, trying trying to fit in so I got my Jordan hoodie. My Jordan shoes. I'm trying to match you.
Dr. Tim Legath 14:42
You're doing well, even though it's a little warm out there today.
Ronak 14:46
It is warm and comfortable. So yeah, so tell me like, you know, how do you stay in shape? What advice would you give to someone like me, I'm in my 40s You know, I don't have a job where I sit down calm. Sleep, but I am stuck in traffic quite a bit. You know, I'm on the road 15-20 hours a week sometimes. So what advice would you just give someone like myself?
Dr. Tim Legath 15:10
Sure, again, it's I break it out, just keep it simple the people, it's moving so fast medicine, and it's in the perfect world. Yeah, like we wouldn't have people sitting in traffic all the time, or sitting at a computer all the time, you'd like to find that balance, it's not always easy. I know, for me, it's in, you know, we're all wired differently, I kind of had to become a creature of habits. So getting to the gym and working out early in the morning was imperative, especially in grad school, because you know, it's your school studying from morning to night, and there's really no time to find that. So I'd find myself getting up at 4:35 in the morning, going to the gym doing that first and everything. And even so now it's tougher with you know, starting a business and marketing. And now you have a five month old son, so there goes that gym time there. But it's matter of, like, I need to, I need a break this time to help myself. Because if you don't take care of your body, your body just breaks down. So it's, I think it's a matter of me, I'm a creature of habit where I have to have that routine of working out, whatever. So maybe going into the gym isn't just for everybody. And that's fine. It's, it's, you know, it's everyone's got, everyone just needs to find their outlet of what it is. I even tell people, if you find yourself just sitting at your desk for how long just get up and move, you know, take 10-15 minutes, and especially when it's nicer outside, go out and just go for a nice little walk or whatever it is, of course, you know, eating good, you know, good foods is always, always the best thing. You cannot work without diet, if you will. But just trying to you know, make it a point of mine of okay, I've been sitting here for awhile doing this or whatever, I need to get up and just go somewhere move like walk outside or, again, people want to find the gym or just do an at home exercise, whatever it is. I think if you schedule that time in your day, you look at your schedule, you know, when you wake up or the day before and say hey, at this time, I'm going to do some physical activity there. It just becomes easier for people I know a lot of people struggle with that. Just creating that discipline, but I think it gets easier, the more you do it. But again, yeah, you don't need to go out and do you know, marathon training or anything like that. Just you know, find time to just get up and walk every now and then and move and you build from there.
Ronak 17:22
Yeah no, that's great advice. Tim, thank you so much for joining, where can patients find you?
Dr. Tim Legath 17:29
You can find me obviously at the MedCoShare King of Prussia location here suite 310, or you can find me at keystonespineandsport.com. You have all the information, everything there. You can also reach out, call, text. My number is 610-466-5718. Yeah, otherwise keystonespineandsport.com. Easiest way to find me there.
Ronak 17:49
All right. Thanks, Tim.
Dr. Tim Legath 17:50
Thank you, Ronak.
Anthony 17:51
MedCoShare provides turnkey medical office space for health and wellness providers. Our memberships are month to month and providers can rent one or multiple rooms based on their needs. To learn more, please check out medcoshare.com Or stop by one of our locations and get started today.
Ronak 18:09
If you want to hear more of these conversations as we dig deeper into the lives of our members, please follow us on Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you get your podcast. Follow us on social media to hear more from our doctors and nurses, as well as to keep updated on all things met co share. We hope you'll join us on the next one. And until then, don't forget to practice your way
