Building Awareness of Physical Therapy With Heidi Jannenga

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are roughly 240,000 physical therapists in the U.S. right now, making physical therapy (PT) the fifth largest clinical occupation in the healthcare field that requires state licensure or certification, excluding general nursing. 

Despite this, there remains a gap in the general population’s awareness - and understanding - of physical therapy’s roles and benefits. While athletes often rely on PT to enhance their training and recovery, physical therapists also provide essential preventative and post-injury care to individuals of all ages and activity levels. 

Dr. Heidi Jannenga is the Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer of WebPT, the leading rehab therapy platform for Practice Experience Management (PXM). As a physical therapist for nearly 25 years, Heidi's ability to identify industry pain points and devise innovative solutions has been a driving force behind WebPT's success. Her commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration and care within the organisation has not only propelled WebPT to the forefront of the healthcare technology landscape, but has also earned the company numerous accolades, including recognition on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for 9 years in a row.

Here she tells us about the misconceptions and benefits of physical therapy.

Can you explain how physical therapists play a critical role in the training and recovery routines of athletes? 

Athletes’ passions and livelihoods depend on the functional and optimal use of their bodies. PTs are here not just to help them recover from injuries and setbacks but also to prevent such events. For example, Paralympian and track gold medalist Scout Bassett recently detailed how PT is part of her ongoing training and recovery strategy, seeing her PT for dry-needling, manual therapy techniques and other treatments like cupping or laser therapy.

Many top sports medicine practitioners believe in PT as the first course of treatment post-injury even when surgical intervention is indicated. Pre-habilitation was a common occurrence to ensure the best surgical outcomes for some patients. Post injury sports medicine is the PT specialty area that I worked in for the majority of my career and it was truly a healthcare team approach with the athlete at the centre of care with the goal of returning the athlete to their sport.

While many people believe that PT is only for sports injuries, the reality is that therapists provide incredible value in cardiovascular care, acute care, pelvic health, orthopaedics, geriatrics, vestibular, neurological disorders and more, across many specialties. 

What misconceptions do patients have about visiting a physical therapist and how do you address these misconceptions?

One misconception is that PTs aren’t doctors. In the U.S., PTs are indeed doctors (not physicians), even though they may not refer to themselves as such. In 2016, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) made the DPT the required degree for all educational programmes. As of 2020, all PTs entering the workforce are doctors of physical therapy (DPTs). 

Another misconception is that patients need a physician’s referral in order to receive PT services. The truth is that direct access exists in all 50 states meaning that patients can see a physical therapist without having to see a physician first. 

Furthermore, many people mistakenly believe that only those who are seriously injured should see a physical therapist. Again, this is not the case. PTs provide preventative care, maintenance care and post-injury care across all specialties. With the focus on movement restoration, physical therapists play an important role in population health issues including diabetes management, obesity, cardiovascular health, pain management and more.

Despite the proven benefits of seeing a PT, why do you think there is still a lack of public awareness about its effectiveness in injury prevention and pain management for the everyday person?

There are several reasons for this including: 

1. Many people may not fully understand the role of PTs and the scope of their expertise and education. They default to seeing their primary care physician (PCP) or a specialist first, simply because they are more familiar with these providers.
2. Despite having direct access, insurance plans vary widely and some may have limited coverage, require referrals and pre-approvals or a high copay or deductible (PTs are considered specialists for many payers). This can make it less convenient or financially inaccessible.
3. The value, education and expertise of physical therapists might not be as prominently marketed or visible as other medical services. But even worse is that many patients don’t even really know the basics of what physical therapists do–period–which is why 90% of patients who could benefit from seeing a PT don’t receive our care. As a result, physical therapy is often overlooked in favour of other treatments, such as opioids.

Physical therapists are uniquely positioned to save overall healthcare costs and maintain high levels of patient satisfaction. A recent Medicare study found that health plans can save between US$4,000 and US$8,000 per member with increased utilisation of PT services and decreased need for costly surgeries. 

Physical therapists remain a critical yet underutilised resource in healthcare, largely due to a lack of public awareness about the broad applications and benefits of their services. PTs play a pivotal role in injury prevention, recovery and overall health - they are the low cost, high value provider when utilised as the primary go-to provider for musculoskeletal injuries. By increasing education and awareness, we can help more people understand the vital contributions of PTs, ultimately reducing healthcare costs and improving patient outcomes across the board.
 

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