In this episode of What's Best For The Patient Is Best For The Business, Jerry welcomes back Katie O'bright, founder of Redefine Health Education, for a much-needed update on the primary care physical therapy movement. Recording just days after speaking at a conference in Alabama on patient engagement, Jerry recognized it was time to catch up with Katie—a leader who consistently exemplifies putting patients first while building sustainable business models.

Katie returns to the show (her first appearance was 1.5-2 years ago) at a pivotal moment for the profession. In 2025, the ABPTS primary care clinical specialization finally passed the House of Delegates, creating the first pathway for physical therapists to become board-certified primary care specialists. This isn't just another certification—it's a fundamental repositioning of what physical therapists can be in the healthcare system.

Drawing from her military background where she served as an embedded PT in a soldier-centered medical home, Katie breaks down what primary care PT actually means, how it differs from traditional outpatient practice (3 feet deep and 3 miles wide vs. 1 foot wide and 10 miles deep), and why this model represents the future of the profession. She shares the comprehensive consensus definition developed by the Primary Care Special Interest Group, explains multiple payment models (fee-for-service, direct-to-employer, direct-to-consumer), and announces her upcoming Primary Care PT Startup Workshop for Business Leaders launching in 2026.

Key Takeaways

- Primary Care PT Certification Changes Everything: Unlike previous PT specializations, the new ABPTS primary care clinical specialty creates a pathway for PTs to be recognized as primary care providers for neuromusculoskeletal conditions—potentially opening doors to CMS recognition and reimbursement changes that could transform the profession.

- Scope Redefined: 3 Feet Deep, 3 Miles Wide: Primary care PTs practice with a fundamentally different scope than traditional outpatient therapists. Instead of deep specialization in one area (1 foot wide, 10 miles deep), they provide broad-spectrum care (3 feet deep, 3 miles wide)—managing first contact, ongoing preventive and reactive health services as integral members of primary care teams.

- Multiple Settings, Multiple Payment Models: Primary care PT isn't limited to medical clinics. Katie outlines how this model works in work sites, community centers, schools, sports facilities, wellness centers, and homes—with payment ranging from fee-for-service to direct-to-employer contracts to membership-based direct-to-consumer models.

- You Don't Have to Blow Up Your Business: Practice owners don't need to abandon their current model to integrate primary care PT principles. Adding acute care slots, implementing risk stratification, or establishing relationships with value-based care organizations can enhance existing practices while opening new revenue streams.

- The Profession Isn't Ready (And That's Okay): Katie acknowledges that primary care PT isn't for every physical therapist—and that's fine. The profession needs therapists in all settings. But for those ready to practice at the top of their scope, think differently about risk management, and engage with population health, the opportunity is massive.

- Physicians Want This: Katie shares stories of physicians and orthopedic surgeons actively reaching out to recruit PTs into their practices. The barrier isn't physician resistance—it's that many PTs haven't learned to speak the language of primary care or understand value-based care arrangements.

If you'd like to learn more about Strata EMR & RCM and achieving a 99.99% reimbursement rate for your PT, OT, or SLP Clinic head over to stratapt.com and book a demo with their team!