Before burnout: How compensation shaped the rehab profession

About this episode

This episode discusses how compensation issues are affecting the rehab profession and explores potential solutions to improve therapist retention and support.

In this Practice Growth Podcast mini-series kickoff,Jason Wambold and Larry Benz dive into one of the most pressing issues in physical therapy today: compensation. Drawing on decades of experience, they unpack how industry shifts, like workforce shortages, declining reimbursement, and evolving therapist expectations, have reshaped how clinicians are paid. The conversation explores the rise of hourly models, the impact of burnout, and why many therapists are leaving clinical care. This episode sets the stage for a deeper discussion on how the profession can rethink compensation to better support therapists, improve retention, and strengthen the future of rehab.

Topics covered

• compensation
• physical therapy
• burnout
• workforce shortages
• therapist expectations

Keywords

• rehab profession
• hourly models
• clinical care

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