Anthony Misitano

Once you determine what’s right for you, come to work every day and work hard, but also have fun and love what you do.

 

Anthony Misitano, Principal, President and CEO of Post Acute Medical, LLC, is responsible for strategic direction, development, and the overall operation of Post Acute Medical (PAM). With more than 25 years of executive healthcare experience, Misitano has successfully developed a variety of growth initiatives and strategic planning projects for long-term acute care and rehabilitation hospitals across the country.

Throughout his career, Misitano has served in a variety of professional roles in the healthcare setting. Among his many accomplishments, Tony founded and served as Chairman, President, and CEO of Trans Healthcare, Inc., a $1.1 billion operator of over 200 specialty facilities. In addition, Tony served as the former President and CEO of Continental Medical Systems, Inc., a NYSE $1.5 billion dollar company.

Community service and volunteer work are important to Misitano. Recently, he was named the JDRF’s Gala Honoree, supporting the effort to end Type 1 Diabetes. Previously, the Special Olympics of Central Pennsylvania recognized Tony with its fourth annual Community Hero Award, which honors a person who has done a wide array of good for the Special Olympics and its athletes. He also donates his time as a certified instructor of Bojuka Self-Defense.

Anthony Misitano remains an active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the American Hospital Association, and the American Rehab Association.

Where did the idea for Post Acute Medical, LLC come from?

Post-acute medical care is pretty much the industry I’ve been in my whole career. When the opportunity presented to go out on my own and actual launch facilities that could serve as the space where we could help patients after their episode (trauma, surgery, accidents etc.) I pulled together my resources and went for it.

The tricky part was picking a name. We decided to go with the obvious, even though the term wasn’t in vogue at the time.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

Nonstop, that’s my typical day. I workout every morning and use that time to catch up on texts and emails, as well as conversations with colleagues.

I essentially have two jobs. There’s my job, which is to make PAM better and more successful and then there’s the job of providing support and guidance to the senior team. Each day, I try to prioritize one hot topic of the day and spend time with the team working on it. I have weekly meetings with my staff, but I manage to do a lot by walking around and interacting in a more informal way.

I also try to have fun. Just because you have a title doesn’t mean you can’t be collegial.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Ideas are everywhere. I find them in magazines, when I check my texts, even when someone shares an interesting video. For instance, recently a family member shared that there’s a robot with a camera that checks on patients in a hospital in Boston. The robot shares the video with the nursing staff. I thought that was really interesting, so I took it to the clinical staff at PAM to discuss. They’re the experts.

If I think something is a good idea, I take it to my team. If they buy into it, then we can make it happen.

What’s one trend that really excites you?

After many years, the healthcare community is starting to see the importance of post-acute care. It’s becoming widely recognized as a valuable part of the healthcare industry, because it adds to the quality of patient care. Also, post-acute services are handled much more efficiently by facilities that focus on those specific things, rather than hospitals which do everything. That helps lower costs.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I train in Bojuka, which is a self-defense focused martial art. It’s really tough, serious, and challenging. I think that being challenged like that lets me confront most problems head on, and with the idea that I’ll solve whatever’s in front of me.

Also, naturally, there’s the whole exercise aspect. Regular exercise makes me relax and allows me to think clearly.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Take your job seriously, but don’t take yourself so seriously. Don’t think you are more important than you are. Try to put yourself in your manager’s place and be the employee you’d want if you were the boss.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on?

I like to fly under the radar when it comes to both my business success and my philanthropic activities. My alma mater, Penn State, doesn’t exactly have a “stay humble” culture and many of my peers think I should be more forthcoming about my involvement and actions.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Have fun at whatever you do. Once you determine what’s right for you, come to work every day and work hard, but also have fun and love what you do.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Being patient about growth. I’ve looked at hundreds of deals and, when working with my team, I always say, “Sometimes the best deals you do are the deals you don’t do.”

It’s important not to go crazy and feel like you need to rush to grow. You’re going to kiss a lot of frogs when trying to find that prince of a deal.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I was growing a company and wanted to do it so quickly. I really underestimated what it would take for the culture of this smaller company to change so that it could thrive. I kept key people from the original company and they wanted to run it the way they’d always run it, which wasn’t successful. I got it done, but it didn’t turn out as well as it could have. Looking back, I either needed to take a lot more time to change their hearts and minds or I needed to recognize the cultural conflict sooner and let some of those people go.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

We need to use technology to help patients recover from injuries faster. For instance, a torn ACL takes about 12 months to heal well enough for an athlete to really get back to their sport. Why don’t we have and implant that can speed up the recovery time?

What is the best $100 you recently spent?

I like to tip people in the service industry generously. When you slip $100 to a waiter or waitress or the person driving the hired car, they know they are appreciated. It makes me feel good to know that I can use my good fortune to do that.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

They say great writers make lousy spellers. I have a dictionary app on my phone. The ability to easily access a dictionary lets me check, and double check, spelling before I send out any texts, emails, or other communications.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

“Make Your Bed, Little Things that Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World,” by Admiral William H. McRaven (U.S. Navy, Retired). After I heard Adm. McRaven’s speech (the 2014 University of Texas at Austin commencement address), I read the book. My brother in law had sent a copy to my wife. It’s just loaded with good stuff, enlightening, but simple. It really will help you make yourself, the world, and others better.

What is your favorite quote?

“No good deed goes unpunished,” which is attributed to multiple people including writers Clare Boothe Luce and Oscar Wilde. Sometimes, you think you’re doing the right thing and it may not be perceived by others the same way– so you take flack for it.

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