When physical therapists lead care, clinical expertise takes center stage, and patients have better outcomes.
Across U.S. Physical Therapy’s 800 locations, you will see one common theme. That is clinician leadership.
We know that when physical therapists have the autonomy to lead clinical care, patients remain at the center of the practice.
One common question that we see when owners are thinking about selling is “How will this affect patient care?” The answer is that your patients will probably never notice a change in their care. Treatment decisions continue to belong to you and your local team.
Research involving more than 1.4 million patients has found that physiotherapy-led care is associated with higher patient satisfaction, less medication and imaging, fewer physician visits, lower healthcare costs, and less time away from work, without increased harm.
PT-led characteristic |
What research shows |
| Clinical decision-making by PTs | PT-led care can produce comparable or better outcomes with lower healthcare utilization |
| Direct access to PT | Fewer visits/costs and, in some analyses, better functional outcomes |
| Patient/therapist relationship | Education and shared decision-making strongly correlate with satisfaction |
| Independence from referral incentives | Physician ownership has been associated with greater utilization and different treatment patterns |
It’s clear that the evidence supports PT-led/clinician-led care.
Which is why at USPh, clinicians remain the decision makers in their patients’ care.
When choosing to sell your business or partner with a company like USPh, it is important to remember that we are a company built by physical therapists for physical therapists. Patients and their outcomes will always come first.
Partnership through a patient-first lens is why our NPS remains one of the highest in the industry. Showcasing our NPS gives you valuable insight into how your patients will feel about their care post-partnership.
Clinician-led care is one of the many reasons why we believe in the partnership model. Our partners all retain an equity position, and when the time comes for them to retire, we have mechanisms in place for the next generation of clinicians to become partners as well. So, the legacy you built and the one your patients and community expect continue to live on in perpetuity.
