Business Models

Resources for Members

PPS Board Position Statement regarding Business Models
(Adopted by Board of Directors vote, August 2015)

PPS endorses all physical therapists' business models that improve the experience of care, improve the health of populations, and reduce per capita costs of health care.

Background: 
Physical therapist services have grown in response to societal demand and market forces.  Concurrently, uncertainty over health care reform and consequences for private practice has stimulated conversation about the future viability of private practice.  Many PPS members and prospective members have asked questions about the business models permissible under the PPS tent.

To study and address these issues, the PPS Board commissioned a Business Model Task Force in 2011 and a second Board Business Model Task Force in 2014.  The 2014 Board Business Model Task Force conducted an extensive survey of PPS members and others.  The survey results and reports from both Task Forces are available here.


Results:

  • After thorough discussion and consideration, the PPS Board approved this Board Position Statement: "PPS endorses all physical therapists' business models that improve the experience of care, improve the health of populations, and reduce per capita costs of health care."   The Board believes that PPS Members are uniquely and strongly positioned to positively contribute to the Triple Aim of health care reform.  PPS is stronger, more vibrant and more secure when we are unified around a common goal regarding the triple aim. 
  • The board undertook a review of all APTA Policies and Positions that conflicted with and constrained the ability of a PPS Member to pursue the delivery of services defined by the PPS Position of :"PPS supports physical therapists' business models that improve the experience of care, improve the health of populations, and reduce per capita costs of health care."  The intent will be to work with other sections and the APTA House of Delegates to address APTA policies and positions that may conflict with this statement.
  •  The Board commissioned a new Board Task Force, the Healthcare Policy and Regulatory Task Force, which was charged to: "Explore the feasibility of engaging a resource, outside of the Association, to assist in advancing the sections strategic goals related to payment policy. This would include positioning Private Practice PTs to best communicate the value proposition of PTPP's and have influence on and access to agencies, associations, and other groups in both public and state/federal environments with jurisdiction in healthcare policy, regulations, payment, and compliance."  The Task Force completed its work, the PT Value Project was completed, and Robert Hall has been retained as PPS Senior Payment Consultant, to provide strategic insight into PPS advocacy on payment for non-Federal payers, consult on private payer issues, and help raise the profile of the section as health care delivery reform advances.

For more information, contact PPS at info@ppsapta.org

 

HOD Motion

A Message from Angela Wilson Pennisi, PPS Chief Delegate

While APTA and the House of Delegates have provided endorsement of physical therapists engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration in the past, limited guidance has been provided regarding the qualities of collaborative business relationships, outside of prohibitions on ownership of physical therapist services.  PPS has been engaging in dialogue for the past five years to modernize APTA positions to prepare physical therapist practice for today's health care environment.

The process began with collecting information in 2013 and 2015 about what types of business models physical therapists engage in across multiple settings, which resulted in adoption of the PPS Board Position on Business Models. In 2019, the House of Delegates engaged in robust discussion regarding ownership and business models, leading The Private Practice Section to form a task force of members and stakeholders from other components of APTA to develop motion language.

The motion RC22-20: Practice and Business Financial Arrangements for Physical Therapists submitted for the 2020 House of Delegates is the culmination of those discussions and if adopted, will strengthen and broaden statements on collaboration to help guide PPS members as they develop and engage in collaborative business models.

HOD Motion:  RC22-20: Practice and Business Financial Arrangements for Physical Therapists
Motion FAQ

Action!  Please contact your Chief Delegate by Friday May 29, 2020, and ask them to support RC22-20: Practice and Business Financial Arrangements for Physical Therapists.

Find your Chief Delegate here. 

Comments or Questions?  Please reach out to PPS Chief Delegate Angela Wilson Pennisi, PT, MS, with any questions or feedback on the motion