PT Pintcast - Physical Therapy

Physical therapists keep saying they provide value — but then many clinics hand patients a confusing menu of visits, rates, packages, discounts, weekday pricing, weekend pricing, and “per visit” math.That confusion may be costing you patients.In this episode of PT Breakfast Club, Tony Meritato, Dave Kittle, and Jimmy McKay break down a real cash pay physical therapy pricing problem and ask a bigger question:Are physical therapists selling the wrong thing?Patients are not really buying “visits.”They are buying relief, confidence, access, trust, and a clear plan to get back to the life they want.This conversation covers cash based physical therapy, private practice pricing, price anchoring, simplifying your offer, patient decision-making, and why “confuse me, lose me” might be one of the most important marketing lessons for any physical therapy business.We also talk about AI coaching, business coaching, babysitter economics, roof replacement psychology, pharma advertising, digital physical therapy platforms, and why PTs need to stop talking themselves out of money.In this episode:00:00 PT Breakfast Club opens00:30 Tony’s accidental weight-loss strategy03:00 Using AI for running, fitness, and accountability07:30 AI vs human coaching12:45 Dave’s cash pay PT pricing card14:30 Why too many numbers confuse patients17:40 If price is the biggest thing, you compete on price18:40 Price anchoring and why it works21:15 Should PTs sell visits, appointments, or outcomes?24:30 The simple buying journey: call, evaluation, plan of care29:30 What cash pay physical therapists are charging36:15 Babysitter pricing as a value lesson44:30 Buying back time and unlocking value47:00 What PT can learn from pharma and insurance ads49:30 Selling hope instead of visits58:00 Sword, Kaia, and where PT investment is going01:00:15 Parting shotsHosts:Tony MaritatoDave KittleJimmy McKay

Most patients don’t want to be in physical therapy—especially in acute care. That creates friction, resistance, and missed opportunities for better outcomes.In this episode, Sid Stoddard breaks down a practical communication framework PTs can use immediately to improve patient buy-in without adding time or complexity.Key Takeaways:“Embrace the suck” → patients are already frustrated before you walk inPatients don’t want PT—they want to leave or get back to lifeUse the “onion” approach: uncover layers before pushing interventionsAlways explain the why behind what you’re askingAdapt your communication style (wear different hats)This applies to outpatient PT just as much as acute careSmall actions (like helping with self-care) build massive trustWhy this matters:Better communication = faster buy-in, smoother visits, fewer refusals, and more efficient clinics. Guest Links:Sidney Stoddardhttps://scholars.georgiasouthern.edu/en/persons/sidney-stoddard-2/

This episode dives into what it actually takes to build a modern physical therapy business — starting with almost nothing and scaling through smart decisions, not big budgets.Nathan LeMaster shares how he launched a clinic during the pandemic with less than $4,000 and grew it into a multi-state company by focusing on culture, ownership, and patient experience.Key Insights:• You don’t need big capital to start — you need sweat equity and relationships• Burnout in PT is often caused by lack of ownership, not patient volume• Hiring for passion creates niche growth (runners, wrestlers, women’s health)• Early-stage clinics should prioritize community presence over social media polish• Cash-based care raises expectations — and improves outcomes• Different populations (like pediatrics) may require hybrid modelsWhat This Means for PT Owners:If your clinic feels stuck, the issue may not be marketing or volume — it may be structure. Ownership, autonomy, and clear positioning create better clinicians and better businesses.Guest Links:Website: theempoweru.comInstagram: @EmpowerU_SDSponsors:SaRA Health — Remote patient engagement that drives revenueEMPOWER EMR — Documentation built for PT workflowsU.S. Physical Therapy — Growth without losing clinic identity Subscribe & Follow:Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pt-pintcast-physical-therapy/id1000443325Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3LmMUT64yrUc2iGo9EmafcYouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@PTPintcastLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mckay-pt-dpt-a4207659/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/ptpintcast

Most physical therapists know they should negotiate—but few feel confident doing it.In this episode, Jimmy McKay and Rebekah Griffith break down why negotiation feels uncomfortable in PT and how that hesitation impacts salary, contracts, and clinic growth.This isn’t about becoming a “salesperson.” It’s about communicating value clearly so you can get paid appropriately and build better professional relationships.Key Insights:• Negotiation isn’t about you—it’s about the impact you create• If you don’t define scope first, price conversations fall apart• Most PTs start negotiating too late in the conversation• Asking better questions is more powerful than “selling”• Saying no is a critical business skill—not a failure• You need a clear “floor” before entering any negotiation• Every conversation is a negotiation for informationWhy This Matters to PTs & Clinic OwnersIf you can’t negotiate:• You accept lower reimbursement• You underprice your services• You limit clinic growth• You burn out doing work that isn’t alignedBetter negotiation = better business decisions and better patient outcomes.GUESTRebekah GriffithSPONSORSSaRA HealthHelping clinics increase revenue between visits with automated patient engagementhttps://sarahealth.comEMPOWER EMRFaster documentation, better workflows, built for PTshttps://empoweremr.comU.S. Physical TherapyClinician-led growth and career development opportunitieshttps://usph.com