Dana and Alex explore the Therapy Value Quotient, an objective framework for measuring clinical impact that goes beyond subjective reasoning. Learn a practical algorithm that factors in functional improvement, patient complexity, care intensity, and cost—plus why establishing clear therapy prognoses is essential for professional survival.

Key topics covered in this episode: objective clinical measures, therapy prognosis, value-based care, capitation, long-term patient relationships, and preparing for AI-driven healthcare analytics.

Essential listening for therapists ready to prove their value in measurable ways while maintaining meaningful patient connections.

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Check out our friend and colleague's course on AI for PTs (and so many others!) by Cody Lee, PT, DPT

Sponsored by Saatva Mattresses: use this link for 15% off Saatva mattresses or tell anyone at a Saatva show room that Dana Strauss, PT, DPT sent you. This offer is stackable with any other active offer Saatva offers at the time!

Future Proof PT helps physical therapists navigate the changing healthcare landscape and build sustainable, value-driven practices.

Physical Therapists, listen up! "Make America Healthy Again," or MAHA, is a chance to improve the professional identify of PTs regardless of politics! It's a chance to embrace and highlight the profession and its doctoral status and to position its reputation as long-term partners in patients'/the population's MSK health as opposed to merely providers of episodic care.

PTs can and should be the "quarterbacks" of MSK care. That will mean eliminating some of our vocabulary and leaning into other expressions.

MAHA isn't just a chance for the profession's perception. It's an opportunity to attract well-deserved reimbursement improvements.

Here's what you'll learn when you tune in:

• How government healthcare initiatives create opportunities for physical therapists to advance the profession, and why you should embrace the positive of new positioning, regardless of political affiliations or biases
• Why PTs should position themselves as "quarterbacks" of musculoskeletal care
• The importance of using doctoral titles, professional language, and of obtaining your tDPT if you graduated PT school prior to the DPT (like Dana!)
• Why you should remove "discharge" from your clinical vocabulary
• Potential challenges for the profession: reimbursement, resource limitations, and outcomes tracking

We make the case for PTs to step up as lifetime partners in MSK health and ditch the notion of being solely providers of episodic care. And we encourage you to embrace the top of scope positioning of PTs and argue it's a "must-do" to secure a future we are all proud of.

Enjoy the conversation and the practical insights on how to position yourself, your practice, and your profession for future success in a changing healthcare landscape.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Sign up for our newsletter and receive exclusive resources that grow with every episode!

Check out our friend and colleague's course on AI for PTs (and so many others!) by Cody Lee, PT, DPT

Sponsored by Saatva Mattresses: use this link for 15% off Saatva mattresses or tell anyone at a Saatva show room that Dana Strauss, PT, DPT sent you. This offer is stackable with any other active offer Saatva offers at the time!

Ready to revolutionize your PT career? Think of it like Wayne Gretzky's famous quote - skate to where the puck is going, not where it's been. In today's rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, having a game plan for your career as part of the PT profession (clinical, non-clinical, or both) isn't just nice-to-have, it's essential for survival.

The signs of change are everywhere if you know where to look. Want the inside scoop? Follow the money and the power players. Watch what policymakers and their advisors are saying and doing, and keep your eyes on where big investors are placing their bets - that's key to reading the proverbial tea leaves.

Let's talk about our profession's journey. Physical therapy has come a long way in fighting for autonomy - you know, breaking free from needing that doctor's prescription to treat patients. But while we were focused on that battle, we might have missed some existential challenges.

Take the fee-for-service system, for instance. It's like a bad relationship - it's not just hurting us, it's impacting how other providers coordinate and collaborate with us. making sure patients get to us. Even worse? It's pushed us to focus on visit counts rather than what really matters: individualized treatment plans, proper dosing, and patient outcomes.

This affects how everyone sees PT - from insurance companies to doctors to patients themselves. Many view therapy as this huge time commitment, rather than seeing its true value. Not great, right?

In this episode, Alex and I are talking about this. We're tackling Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) and its connection to the recently update Innovation Center Strategy - stuff that could completely reshape your practice. This isn't just about boring billing codes - it's about positioning yourself at the cutting edge of healthcare.

We are sharing helpful insights about healthcare tech, new payment models, and what it means for your future. Plus, you won't want to miss Alex's brilliant "train model" that perfectly shows how digital and in-person care can work together seamlessly.

We're also sharing what the CMS Innovation Center leadership said in their blog and in recent public appearances about their vision for healthcare's future. Every week, we update our Resources Database, which is available to all newsletter subscribers. Not a subscriber yet? Sign up here! It's free and we send valuable resources right to your inbox every week.

Chapters

00:00 The Future of Care Delivery Models

06:00 The Importance of Quality Data in EMR Systems

08:35 Navigating Regulatory Changes in Healthcare

10:46 The Impact of Technology on Patient Care

13:41 Conclusion and Future Directions

18:37 Innovative Models in Medicare Services

20:42 The Role of Data in Patient Care

22:33 Future of Therapy: Embracing Change

25:43 Case Studies: Remote Therapeutic Monitoring

28:14 Valuing Preventive Care in Therapy

32:08 Understanding Episode Groupers

36:10 Collaboration Across Disciplines

40:13 Advocacy and Access to Care