CHART Rehabilitation of Hawaii

Blaine Yoshioka, physical therapist, CHART Rehabilitation of Hawaii and patient Peter Birschbach

When CHART Rehabilitation of Hawaii began in 1979, the outpatient physical therapy clinic pioneered active rehabilitation and sports medicine techniques. In fact, it became the gold standard of rehabilitation with one of the state’s highest return-to-work rates for work or accident injuries. But CHART attributes its long success to a corporate culture that supports, trusts and rewards its 30 full-time and part-time employees, says Frieda Takaki, president and chief executive officer.

“Even our patients tell us how much they feel part of a special ohana,” Takaki says. “Our high retention of longtime employees in a field with significant burnout rates and our long history of repeat physician referrals tell us we are doing something where everyone wins, especially our patients.”

CHART today is one of only two physical therapy clinics in the U.S. that is 100 percent employee-owned under an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Annual sales for the company are about $3 million.

“ESOP helps affirm our employees’ sense of ownership and rewards their highly motivated dedication to our success,” says Takaki, who serves as president of the Hawaii ESOP chapter and chair of the National ESOP Association. In the future, CHART plans to expand its facilities, increase staff and accommodate numerous Neighbor Island requests for services.

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