By HMG
Holston Medical Group’s Alan Meade, PT, DScPT, MPH, was honored as the 20th recipient of the Richard McDougall Long-Term Service Award at this year’s Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) annual meeting in Orange County, California.
The Richard McDougall Long-Term Service Award, named after the FSBPT’s first Treasurer, was established in 2002 to recognize individuals who have made a lasting, significant and distinguished contribution to the FSBPT for over a decade. These recipients are chosen based on their countless volunteer time, talents, and service to the mission of the organization to protect the public and promote safe and competent physical therapy practice. Dr. Meade’s nomination comes after years of industry leadership across Tennessee and Virginia, stemming from his passion to better patients’ lives on a local and national scale.
Dr. Meade joined HMG in 1995 when the independent, physician-owned medical group acquired his private practice and has been instrumental to expanding access to HMG’s physical therapy services in four locations. His contributions to the advancement of physical therapy continue to leave a lasting mark within the community, and with new locations and providers on HMG’s horizon, he is excited to be a part of the medical group’s vision to continue to minimize travel times for patients, having just spearheaded the opening of HMG Rehabilitation in Johnson City this year. Dr. Meade has also become a go-to industry expert for ever-evolving regulatory guidance and the most up-to-date training and treatment options.
Dr. Meade has been a passionate leader in the field of physical therapy, dedicating his time and expertise to his patients and the broader physical therapy community. In parallel to his work at HMG, he has been an integral part of the FSBPT all his career, receiving the Outstanding Service Award in 2015. Dr. Meade also oversaw the creation and implementation of the Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) as a national agency during this time. Based on his regulatory expertise, he has been depended on as an FCCPT board member for over 20 years, helping place officers in their respective roles, and was appointed the Secretary Treasurer 4 years ago. The FCCPT is now one of the two agencies that serves the U.S. Immigration Office to ensure foreign-educated physical therapists who would like to practice in the U.S. are credentialed accordingly, which he helps with firsthand.
“I was blown away when I got the phone call from FSBPT’s President that I had been named this year’s award recipient by a unanimous board vote,” said Dr. Meade. “Dedicating my time to organizations like the FSBPT and FCCPT to help guide other PTs and ultimately expand access
for patients has always been an easy decision. Having known and witnessed Dr. McDougall’s impact on the industry firsthand, I am truly honored to follow in his footsteps.”
Dr. Meade has also served the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association (TPTA) since 1981 to help represent and advocate for the profession of physical therapy and promote excellent, ethical, and autonomous practice, which serves the culturally diverse population of Tennessee. He received their prestigious Carol Likens Award in 2010 and the 2020 Lucy Blair Service Award for multiple leadership positions and exceptional service to the profession. Along the way he was inducted into ETSU’s CCRHS Hall of Fame thanks to his contributions and service to the university throughout the years, and acts as an ambassador for ETSU and its Physical Therapy Program.
To see Dr. Meade in action directly, you can contact his offices at one of HMG’s four rehabilitation locations