Today we’d like to introduce you to Mariel Schofield.
Hi Mariel, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey in healthcare began when I was five years old and diagnosed with type-one diabetes. As I got older, the frequent visits with a variety of healthcare providers often left me with more questions than solutions. The messaging was conflicting between healthcare providers. It often made me feel broken, or less than because of my “condition,” and overly reliant on someone to cure me. The conversations regarding nutrition, stress management, exercise, and behavior change did not exist in our 10-minute sessions. Those 10-minute sessions did result in a $600 fee just to renew a prescription for insulin and insulin pump supplies that total over $15,000/year on average. This story is similar to many stories of those who are managing a chronic disease within the US healthcare system.
This experience sparked a passion to create positive change and to better understand what I need to do to prioritize my health. I attended the University of Miami to study exercise physiology and sports medicine (and to play volleyball) prior to earning my Doctorate in Physical Therapy there as well. My mission was to create a multidisciplinary healthcare facility to provide comprehensive care that targets behavior change and education. That quickly evolved into the foundation of Monarch Athletic Club after meeting Paul Freschi and Dr. Ryan Greene, two of our partners and co-founders.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This has been the most difficult journey to navigate with respect to physical, emotional, and financial sacrifices. We opened in January 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic began and we were forced to adapt. We were able to grow despite uncertainty and chaos, and I think that speaks highly of our founding team. It highlights how dedicated and passionate we are to move the needle in a positive direction in healthcare.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Monarch Athletic Club?
Monarch Athletic Club is a medical facility offering unlimited access to a team of healthcare providers. We are a true one-stop shop for all of your health and wellness needs, with our pillars being adherence to physical activity and exercise, nutrition, hydration, community support, pain education, physical therapy, and appropriate medical interventions. In this model, we are not limited by time constraints and we are not required to see a high volume of patients which allows us to create a strong support system and meaningful connections with our members. We aim to reduce the barriers to high-quality and accessible care by offering in-person and virtual services.
I am very proud of the physical therapy department we have created. What makes us unique compared to physical therapy elsewhere, besides the unlimited access to a team of medical providers, is a number of things. In a traditional PT clinic, there are significant time constraints and quotas to meet. This continues to worsen over time with reductions in reimbursement from insurance companies. Therapists are juggling 2-4 patients per hour. Most care is executed by an intern, aide, or student. There is little emphasis on strength and conditioning and time spent listening to and educating patients. Most clinicians are burnt out and drowning in documentation from the 20-30 patients they see in one day. Most clinics do not have gym equipment beyond therabands and light dumbbells. At Monarch, we are able to solve those barriers to care. All sessions are a minimum of 1 hour. Patients have unlimited access to sessions, open gym, equipment, group classes, and amenities. Every patient’s exercise program is available to them on Truecoach, a programming app, to provide resources and promotes independence. All clinicians have the time, resources, support system, and education to meet patients where they are at and progress them toward their goals.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define success in the same way I define happiness – living a life of purpose and contributing to a cause that is greater than oneself. (And being able to repay my student loans one day).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.monarchclubs.com
- Instagram: Mariel.dpt
- Other: https://linktr.ee/mariel.dpt
