Legacy Healthcare Services CEO and Drexel University alumnus Jeff Ryan started his career as a physical therapist before moving into administration. Throughout his career, he has made it a point to get to know the people with whom he works, especially the older adult patients Legacy serves.

When he heard one of Legacy’s therapists tell him that she didn’t just work to help a patient who was afraid of falling but rather empowered the person to confidently attend a family gathering and hold their great grand baby for the first time, he commented that “that’s a cool way to make a living.”

Because Ryan sees Legacy as a population health and wellness company rather than just people who implement interventions, they are working with partners and senior living communities using innovative technology developed by an ex-NASA scientist to assess a person’s risk of falling. “Wouldn't it be great if we could predict and prevent it versus: they fall, they go to the hospital, they are injured or even sometimes die?” Ryan asked. “Of course, we will be interventional, but how do we change as medicine does and be part of a greater solution?” This philosophy, Ryan knows, is better for the patients, the patients’ families, the community and our healthcare system. Reducing falls by older adults could equate to hundreds of millions of dollars of savings per year.

In addition to these technology advancements, Ryan sees it necessary to diversify the workforce and to address the challenges in therapy education. “I believe, when you’re in a leadership position, it’s our responsibility to give others the resources to make their and others’ lives better.” And that’s what he’s doing in the 500 communities where Legacy works and through the contributions he’s making to the College’s Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science.