Podcast
PT Pintcast - Physical Therapy
Hosted by Jimmy McKay, PT, DPT | Physical Therapy Podcast · EN
PT Pintcast is a physical therapy podcast featuring conversations with physical therapists, clinic owners, educators, and leaders shaping the future of physical therapy.
Hosted by Jimmy McKay, PT, DPT, PT Pintcast blends real talk, big ideas, and practical insight on clinical care, business, culture, and where physical therapy is headed next. If a TED Talk and a radio show had a baby and raised it in a physical therapy clinic, this would be it.
65episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Systems That Burn Out Physical Therapists
Mar 1300:38:23Tap to summarizeMost physical therapists feel stuck between productivity expectations, documentation requirements, and changing reimbursement models.But what if the problem isn’t clinicians — it’s the systems around them?In this episode, Jimmy talks with Katie Holterman about how healthcare systems, documentation processes, and compliance frameworks can either burn clinicians out or support them.Katie explains why efficiency and quality are not enemies, why most documentation is unnecessarily complex, and how clinics can design systems that protect clinicians while improving outcomes.The conversation also dives into the future of value-based care, the role of outcomes in physical therapy reimbursement, and why most continuing education fails to deliver practical clinical value.If you’re a physical therapist, clinic owner, or healthcare leader, this episode offers practical insight into building systems that actually work for clinicians.Key TakeawaysWhy documentation is often more complicated than necessaryThe three questions that simplify compliant documentationWhy productivity isn’t the enemy of good patient careHow clinic systems should protect clinicians instead of burning them outWhy most continuing education fails cliniciansHow outcomes will shape the future of physical therapy reimbursementWhy understanding the “why” behind metrics changes everythingGuestKatie Holterman
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What Wendy’s Can Teach Physical Therapists About Growth
Mar 1201:01:26Tap to summarizePhysical therapy clinics don’t struggle because they lack skill. They struggle because they lack attention.In this episode of PT Breakfast Club, Jimmy McKay and Tony Maritato explore how PT clinic owners can rethink marketing using lessons from unexpected places — viral videos, restaurant chains, and real-world business strategy.Instead of chasing trends or expensive advertising, the conversation focuses on creating authentic attention through simple ideas, repeatable content, and engaging storytelling.They also dig into leadership inside PT clinics — including how to hire the right people, how culture impacts performance, and why insecure leadership can quietly destroy organizations.The result is a practical conversation about how clinics can grow without complicated marketing systems.Key Topics DiscussedWhy one-star reviews can actually help credibilityThe marketing strategy behind Wendy’s viral campaignsWhy authenticity beats polished marketingHow small clinics can win attention faster than large companiesTurning patients and staff into authentic content creatorsThe “content hackathon” strategy for clinicsWhy most physical therapists misunderstand marketingHiring people who take initiativeThe hidden cost of insecure leadershipGuest Links & ResourcesTony Maritato YouTube: Total Therapy SolutionsDave Kittle Website: ConciergePainRelief.com YouTube: The Dave Kittle ShowSponsorsSupport for PT Pintcast comes from:SaRA Health – AI-powered patient engagement for rehab practices EMPOWER EMR – Built for modern rehab clinics U.S. Physical Therapy
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When EBITDA Becomes the Mission
Mar 1100:18:09Tap to summarizeIf you've worked inside a healthcare organization you've probably heard the question:“What's the EBITDA impact?”But what happens when a financial reporting metric slowly becomes the mission of the entire organization?In this conversation, Jimmy McKay and Larry Benz unpack: • What EBITDA actually measures • How "Adjusted EBITDA" becomes a fiction contest • Why chasing the metric can distort clinical care • The Soviet nail factory problem in healthcare • What a healthier dashboard for PT organizations should look likeLarry also explains the four pillars every physical therapy organization should measure instead of obsessing over EBITDA.If you lead a healthcare organization, this conversation will challenge how you think about metrics, culture, and what actually drives sustainable performance.Chapters 00:00 The phrase every healthcare leader hears 00:40 EBITDA explained simply 02:40 When the tool becomes the mission 03:20 The “Adjusted EBITDA fiction contest” 05:40 How metrics change behavior 07:40 Why clinicians are the real business 10:20 The Soviet nail factory story 13:30 What healthcare should measure instead 14:00 Larry’s four pillar dashboard 18:00 Culture is the engine of EBITDA
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The 7 KPIs Every Physical Therapy Practice Owner Needs to Run a Smarter Clinic
Mar 1101:01:38Tap to summarizePrivate practice physical therapy owners: learn the KPIs that drive clinic growth, PT marketing ROI, and revenue forecasting. This MBA for the DPT lesson shows PT clinic owners how to track leads, visits per case, and key business metrics that predict success.Most physical therapists open a clinic without ever learning how to read the business numbers behind it.In this **MBA for the DPT** episode, Jimmy talks with **Sturdy McKee** about the key performance indicators (KPIs) that successful physical therapy clinic owners use to run smarter businesses.You’ll learn which numbers actually matter, how to build a simple KPI dashboard, and why one overlooked metric — **leads** — can predict your clinic’s revenue 30–60 days ahead.Sturdy also explains how to translate data into action so your staff understands what drives results, improves patient outcomes, and creates a healthier practice.If you run a **private practice physical therapy clinic**, this episode will help you stop guessing and start managing with clarity.00:00 KPI Basics For PT Owners03:12 Why KPIs Matter In Clinics09:45 Building A KPI Dashboard16:30 Personnel Vs Overhead Costs23:40 Predicting Revenue With Leads31:10 KPI Mistakes Clinic Owners Make38:20 Translating Data To Staff45:10 How Often To Review Metrics51:00 The KPI That Surprised Me58:40 Connecting Numbers To OutcomesGuest: Sturdy McKeehttps://sturdycoaching.comQuestion for clinic owners:Which KPI has helped you make the biggest business decision in your practice?
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Stop Selling. Start Teaching Patients
Mar 1001:01:59Tap to summarizeMost physical therapy clinics approach marketing backwards.Instead of teaching and building trust, they try to promote services — and patients can see through it instantly.In this episode, Jimmy McKay, Dave Kittle, and Tony Maritato discuss what actually works when it comes to content and clinic growth.They break down how attention drives patient acquisition, why authenticity beats corporate messaging, and how clinics can build authority by consistently publishing valuable content.If you're trying to grow your practice without feeling like you're constantly selling, this conversation provides a practical framework.What You'll Learn• Why educational content builds trust faster than promotional content• How authenticity helps clinics stand out online• Why over-filtered marketing fails• The value of transparency with patient feedback and reviews• How attention compounds for long-term clinic growthGuest LinksDave Kittlehttps://conciergepainrelief.comDave Kittle YouTubehttps://youtube.com/@thedavekittleshowTony Maritatohttps://totaltherapysolutions.comTony Maritato YouTubehttps://youtube.com/@totaltherapysolutionsSponsorsSaRA Healthhttps://sarahealth.comEMPOWER EMRhttps://empoweremr.comU.S. Physical Therapyhttps://usph.com
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Healthcare Marketing Doesn’t Work—Until You Fix the Experience
Mar 901:01:52Tap to summarizeMost healthcare marketing does not fail because marketing is useless. It fails because clinics make it hard to trust them, hard to book, and hard to talk about them.In this episode, Jimmy McKay and Andrea Cheney unpack what PT clinic owners and healthcare marketers keep getting wrong. They break down why patients now behave more like consumers, what they actually look at before booking, and why reviews, websites, and front desk processes matter more than another generic ad campaign.The big takeaway for busy PTs and clinic owners: marketing works better when operations work better. If your clinic creates a five-star experience, makes reviews easy, reduces friction, and shows up online with purpose, your marketing starts pulling its weight.What You’ll LearnWhy healthcare still confuses marketing with advertisingWhat patients are actually checking before they choose a clinicWhy reviews are part marketing and part operationsHow to make review requests easier and more consistentWhat a PT clinic website must do to convert trust into actionWhy social media should help patients understand themselves, not just hear about your clinicHow public insurance disputes damage trust for everyone involvedWhat PT owners can steal from Wendy’s when they need attentionKey Takeaways for Clinic OwnersBetter marketing starts with better patient experienceYour front desk is part of your marketing systemA simple booking path matters more than fancy wordingGeneric “we’re evidence-based” messaging is not persuasiveAttention is earned when content is about the patient, not the clinicOperational friction creates bad stories that no ad can fixGuestAndrea Cheney — fractional marketing leader and consultant in healthcare marketingResources & Tools MentionedGoogle ReviewsGoogle Business ProfileQR code review promptsText and email follow-up for review collectionWebsite usability checksFacebook groupsTikTokLinkedInShort-form videoSponsors PT Pintcast’s official 2026 sponsors include SaRA Health, EMPOWER EMR, and U.S.
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The Legislative Playbook Every PT Should Study
Mar 900:46:56Tap to summarizeMost physical therapists assume healthcare policy is decided somewhere far away.But Utah PTs just proved something different.In this episode, Howard Quackenbush explains how competing physical therapy clinics united to pass legislation that recognizes PTs as primary care providers for co-pay purposes—reducing financial barriers and improving patient access.Instead of waiting for national policy changes, this group of clinicians and clinic owners worked state-level relationships, coordinated fundraising, and built grassroots support that ultimately passed the bill.For private practice owners and PT leaders, the lesson is clear: if you want change in reimbursement, access, or regulation, you may have to organize and lead it.Topics discussed: • Why high PT co-pays discourage patients from completing care • How competing clinics collaborated instead of competing • The legislative strategy that helped Utah PTs win • Why grassroots advocacy matters for clinic owners • The role of relationships in healthcare policy • A practical blueprint other states can followHoward also shares the leadership philosophy that guided the effort—and why relationships ultimately determine whether policy moves forward.SponsorsSaRA HealthEMPOWER EMRU.S. Physical TherapyLearn more: https://ptpintcast.com
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“Rehab Athletes Like Athletes” (And Prove It With Data)
Mar 600:27:39Tap to summarizePTs are expected to be the movement experts—yet most movement assessment is still subjective: “knee valgus noted,” “pelvic drop,” “looks better.” Dan Seidler (Business Development Lead, DorsaVi USA) and Maka Lange unpack what changes when clinics can quantify biomechanics with video AI and wearable sensors.They cover how objective data improves patient education and buy-in, strengthens documentation, and makes return-to-play/return-to-work decisions more defensible—especially as AI, wearables, and non-PT competitors raise the bar for “measured” care.What you’ll learnWhy “eyeballing” biomechanics breaks down across cliniciansHow objective data can improve patient buy-in and clarityThe difference between quick video AI assessments vs IMU sensor “gold standard” testingHow standardized movement reports can help documentation and communicationUse cases: mass athlete screenings, surgeon referrals, workplace safety, workers’ comp/FCEs, and early pelvic health biofeedback workGuest + LinksDorsaVi: http://www.dorsavi.com/
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Why PT Clinics Must Sell Transformations, Not Visits
Mar 501:02:56Tap to summarizeMost physical therapy clinics market the wrong thing.They promote visits, treatments, and techniques — but patients don’t actually want those things. What they want is the outcome: getting back to running, lifting, sports, or living pain-free.In this episode, Jimmy McKay and Dave Kittle explore how PT clinic owners can shift from transactional care to transformation-based care.Drawing insights from thinkers like Seth Godin, Gary Vee, Rory Sutherland, Chris Voss, and Chris Do, they explain how better positioning, marketing, and communication can turn a one-time patient into a long-term relationship.They also discuss why selling programs beats selling packages, why vanity metrics like social media views don’t build clinics, and how the first phone call with a patient may determine whether they ever become a client.If you’re a clinic owner trying to grow revenue, improve patient engagement, and create a stronger brand, this episode will change how you think about your business.What You’ll Learn• Why patients buy outcomes — not treatments• How to position your clinic as a transformation machine• Why social media views don’t equal patients• How to turn a $10K client into a $70K lifetime relationship• The difference between selling programs vs packages• Why the first phone call determines patient conversions• The importance of asking better intake questionsGuests & ResourcesDave KittleWebsite: https://conciergepainrelief.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedavekittleshow/featuredTony MaritatoYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MedicareBillingSponsorsSaRA Health — https://sarahealth.comEMPOWER EMR — https://empoweremr.comU.S. Physical Therapy — https://usph.com
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“Discharge Monkey” Isn’t A Job Title
Mar 500:51:58Tap to summarizeA comment calling hospital PTs “discharge monkeys” kicks off a real conversation about burnout, autonomy, and what the system incentivizes. Rebekah Griffith and Jimmy McKay unpack why acute care PTs feel boxed into discharge throughput, how that attitude spreads through teams (presenteeism), and what leaders can do to get great clinicians back to practicing with purpose.What You’ll LearnWhy “we’re all just PTs” can still ignore real specialization and skill differencesHow payer-centered constraints quietly strip autonomy in discharge planningWhy arguing online rarely fixes burnout (emotion first, logic second)Presenteeism: when someone shows up but becomes a net negativeA leader’s playbook: how to actually listen, reset, and decide what’s salvageableThe one controllable lever: what energy you bring into the patient room
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