Transcript
Marla: [00:00:00] Well, welcome to the Practice Growth Podcast. Such a pleasure to have you today.
Kyle: Yeah, it's great to be here. I'm excited about this.
Marla: And you are the new A PTA president, um, I guess not so new anymore. You've been here for about a year, so Yeah, exactly. Um, as well as the [00:00:20] associate professor at Duke. Yeah. Um, which you were alumni of.
So very exciting. I'm gonna hear a lot about your story and, and what has been going on at the A PTA. We've got lots of questions, so just an honor to have you on our show.
Kyle: I appreciate the opportunity. It's fun to have these conversations and it's exciting to, to get to talk about some of this stuff.
Marla: Tell me a little bit about your background going from a.
[00:00:40] Clinician to an educator to becoming the A PTA president, what, what made you wanna do that and what were your motivations, um, that led you there? I've
Kyle: lived, I grew up in North Carolina, practiced in North Carolina after graduating from Duke. Uh, always worked in sort of hospital-based settings. Um, inpatient, outpatient, primarily neurologically impaired patients.
Um, [00:01:00] um, but somewhere early in my career. Also got involved in the American Physical Therapy Association. Um, uh, kind of fell into sort of legislative advocacy early in my career. Accidentally, um, went to a meeting where I had the opportunity to go to Capitol Hill, um, and, and realized I really enjoyed that kind of aspect of the career.
I didn't [00:01:20] know much about it as a student. Um, and got involved that way early on. Sort of found that I enjoyed those conversations, figuring out how we could sort of move practice and the profession forward. And then had great mentors that sort of kept moving me into different roles, both within A PTA and sort of career development, um, clinically [00:01:40] and became a neurologic certified specialist.
Did a bunch of different things in different sort of patient populations, um, and then professionally sort of went the academic route. Um. For a big portion of the early years in, um, faculty at Duke, I was a director of clinical education, which was a great blend for me 'cause I, uh, sort of always loved thinking about how [00:02:00] we teach all the roles of what we do in clinical practice.
Um, and then moved up into other, uh, sort of administrative and leadership roles at Duke. On the A PTA side, uh, did a lot of different things over the years. Um, ultimately sort of, uh, became chapter president in North Carolina during a lot of sort of, um, [00:02:20] legal and legislative battles that we were facing relative to practice.
So that was, uh, great to get to use sort of that, uh, advocacy background and, and interest I had in that role to help the state of North Carolina. And, um, simultaneously was sort of always involved at A PTA and the House of Delegates and ran, um. About six years ago for Vice Speaker, which is, uh, one [00:02:40] of the positions that helps run the House of Delegates, but also has a big role in the work of the board of directors.
And then fast forward about five and a half years later, and, uh, last year about this time, decided to, uh, or did run for, uh, a PTA President. The elections were about a year ago. Uh, took office January 1st,
Marla: so it's, it's not easy being the A [00:03:00] PTA president, I'm sure there are a lot of different challenges that come arise.
We'd love to know from your perspective, what were the different challenges that you saw you wanted to address in the industry and make an impact right away with?
Kyle: Yeah, you know, I served on the board of directors for about five and a half years, so was really involved at the national level in conversations about what, [00:03:20] where we were making progress, where we needed to make more progress, where our opportunities were for change.
Um, and then as I looked towards, you know, uh, running for president and becoming president, some of the things I think that were front of mind, uh, were just, uh, I, I really feel like we're at a point in the history of our profession and association. That's really an inflection point, right? We've [00:03:40] had over a hundred year history, um, built, uh.
Our practice built our autonomy as a profession over that a hundred years. On the association side specifically, that's a hundred years of being a very stable organization. You know, history of professional associations and healthcare associations especially are like to be that stable. [00:04:00] Force, um, for the profession that everybody goes to for their information.
Well, well, the world's changed dramatically in the last few years, uh, and as PT has, has grown and exploded and our practice has expanded, um, expectations of associations have changed dramatically as well. Now you can get information and resources and networks in a lot of [00:04:20] places, and so I really thought a lot about that.
And what do we need to be? As a profession and also as an association at this sort of change point in history, uh, because so much is changing, uh, information's coming at us so rapidly, and I really wanted to sort of focus us on what is that next version of our evolution as a [00:04:40] profession and as an association.
I, I also, like you mentioned at the beginning, I spend my day job with students, uh, which I love. Uh, we have awesome students, and I get to be in the class and in the hallways and in the building with them all the time. I stay in close contact. With our alumni, um, and our recent grads. So, so I'm hearing their thoughts in a very [00:05:00] different way than sometimes I was hearing what, uh, experienced, uh, members of the profession, clinicians association, uh, practice leaders were talking about, and how can I, uh, get bridge that gap between what the expectations and aspirations of, of our newest professionals.
And what the history and, [00:05:20] um, experience is of our, um, people that have been involved for a long time. And so that was really front of mind. We have challenges, of course right now with payment, with cost of education, with administrative burden. Those three are the sort of the big three that are keeping up at night, literally, uh, sometimes.
And so how can we make sure that, uh, the next generation of therapists that I'm seeing [00:05:40] every day in the classroom, um, are gonna have all of the resources and opportunities that I had when I finished PT school.
Marla: Yeah, it's really great you have that perspective. You've got those students that are, that are hungry and coming out.
You, you've got all the university faculty and of course you said you were a DCE, so you connected with clinics every day.
Kyle: Yeah, and I'm a residency director now too, so I'm, I'm [00:06:00] involved with sort of that aspect of, of education and practice. So I, I really hear a lot of different perspectives and sometimes they weren't all matching up and I wanted to try to.
To, to get those all, uh, synced up, uh, as president.
Marla: Yeah. So with, with all of that, and you mentioned a few obstacles and challenges that you first saw that you wanted to come in and change. What would you say [00:06:20] you've done so far that you've been really proud of or excited to share?
Kyle: Yeah, I mean, it's been, it's been a, it exciting and at times crazy year we've had so much change in the federal government, uh, with reform and regulation.
Um, and that's given us some, uh, challenges, but it's given us some opportunities as well. The board of directors has been working a [00:06:40] lot this year on prepping the organization for our next strategic plan, which officially begins on January 1st, so we can talk about that a little bit too. But one of the things this year that I've been really focused on as we sort of lead up to that new strategic plan is, um, how do we begin to communicate about the organization and about the profession differently?
Um, you know, when [00:07:00] I came into office, another thing that was really on my mind a lot was the. The really, quite frankly, the extreme negativity, um, on social media within our profession. Um, not about our profession. There was actually a lot of positive media about physical therapy, but we've seen some negative media within, and, and a lot of it's founded, right?
There's a lot of frustration right now [00:07:20] about those issues around payment administrative burden. And so how do we take that, uh, frustration and address it? And communicate about what we're doing as an organization and then begin to put the things in place to address change. And so that's where I've been focused to this year, and I'm excited as we move into the second year of my presidency, we really get to [00:07:40] launch, um, those plans as we begin this new strategic plan.
Marla: Yeah. And I'd love to hear more about the strategic plan and what you guys, uh, uh, I know you said January 1st, which is January 1st, 2026 is just in case when this airs. Um, would love to hear more about what is involved in that and what you guys have said.
Kyle: Yeah, I mean, I think for most people, uh, strategic plans aren't exciting.
Um, [00:08:00] but for a, an association or a big organization like the a TA, they really truly drive the work of the organization. Uh, they, they drive the budgets, they drive the staffs. Plans they drive the staff organization, they drive the whole work of the board of directors. And also the, the interests and the influence of, in the A PTA sphere are [00:08:20] components like our chapters, our sections and academies, like private practice, um, that we all want to work alongside us with that strategic plan.
So as we move into 2026, um, the big priorities of that strategic plan, first and foremost at the top of the list is advancing payment. That's work A PTA has always been involved in, but we're putting a lot more effort, a lot more [00:08:40] resources into really taking major steps into advancing, um, payment for our profession.
Uh, making sure we're giving what we deserve within that decreasing administrative burden and inefficiencies within what we're expected to do by payers. Um, and so we're really putting a lot more effort in that area. And, um, we'll be, [00:09:00] you'll see things start to roll out in 2026, more around how we can affect change, work with different coalitions and partner organizations to, um.
Try some new strategies and, and evolve the way we've been thinking about advocating for payment. The second one is around empowering our members. So a PT is a large organization. There are lots of ways to engage and [00:09:20] be involved in an organization. As large as this is for some people, that's the advocacy route.
That's how I got involved. Some people gravitate to their state chapters, other people gravitate toward the specialty sections in academies. Other people find other ways to volunteer and be involved through education or or conferences. So it's a really big organization and there's a lot of different interests.
So we are really want [00:09:40] to focus more on how can we empower members to find their people, feel that sense of belonging that they need to have to engage. And reap the benefits of an organization like a BT. And also how can we invest back in those members and make sure they have the resources that they need to sustain the pressures of practice.
And then the third is a advancing practice. Also [00:10:00] work. A PT is always done, but putting different and more resources in in there as well. As I mentioned at the beginning, we're, we're really seeing rapid change in a lot of areas of practice. I think we'll talk about some more as we, as we chat. But how can we be on the forefront of those advancements?
How can we drive those advancements instead of be a passenger, um, as, as the world drives those advancements? [00:10:20] And then how can we prep our members? To be ready to lead those advancements in their clinical practices, in their, in their businesses, and in their facilities that they work in every day.
Marla: That's really refreshing to hear, especially the advancing payment.
As you said, it's always been something that you guys have worked on, but putting it at the forefront and making it a priority. Absolutely. I know we hear all the [00:10:40] time, that's one of the biggest issues and struggle. Um, would love to hear a little bit more, like you said about advancing practice and innovation and what you guys, how the A-P-T-A-C is innovation, how you personally see it.
Um, I know you, you actually are the director of education innovation at uh, duke, so would love to hear more about what you're doing towards that.
Kyle: Yeah, it's funny 'cause my title at [00:11:00] work is Director of Educational Innovation. I was really afraid of that title. Um, but when I took that job and I actually, um, begged for that word not to be in my title, I think that is a word that, uh.
Carries a lot of weight and a lot of expectation, but it's hard to define like what is innovation. And sometimes innovation is very simple. Um, [00:11:20] sometimes innovation is just doing a little thing differently that can make a big impact. But I think sometimes the expectation is innovation is this big thing that nobody's ever thought of.
And sometimes it is, right? So I think at APTA we're looking at that spectrum of innovation. What are the little simple things that we haven't been doing that we can do to make a change in practice? What are [00:11:40] the, what are the things that maybe aren't so simple, but we've been talking about a long time and we just need to turn a dial in a different direction to, to make change in, in practice?
And then what are those big things that we haven't had at our disposal before? Or that we haven't done. I mean, we're all seeing in our daily lives, um, AI and the infusing sort of tech and [00:12:00] digital is everywhere. Um, and that's going to be the case in at APTA You know, uh, a PTA has put a lot of resources over the last couple years in digital tools for our members.
And there's a digital, uh, sort of, uh, resource library where our members can go and. Get vetted lists of the things that can augment or assist them in practice, both from their interface with [00:12:20] patients, but also in their documentation, decreasing administrative burden, those types of things. So we're really wanting to put those, you know, in, uh, to, to put those in places that are easy to access by our members and our members to be able to trust that these are the things that are gonna help them.
'cause they've been vetted, um, uh, by, by A BTA. Um. I think it's hard [00:12:40] to predict, uh, what will be different in practice. I mean, I graduated 20 years ago from PT school, I guess more than that now. And you know, there were just aspects of clinical practice that were new. You know, women's in pelvic health was just being talked about.
Um, I'm not even sure if we really had a lot of conversations about PTs, role in oncology, um, those types of things. [00:13:00] Now those are two of the fastest growing areas of practice a couple of decades later. So I think a lot of times about. What are those things now that our students and our new professionals are barely hear hearing about, but are gonna dramatically change over the course of the first decade of their career?
Um, and I think we're, we're seeing the sort of emergence of PTs with a [00:13:20] bigger role in primary care. We're seeing PTs with a bigger role in emergency care practice. Um, so those frontline sort of roles for physical therapy that are finally coming in to. Clear focus are really exciting and a PT has putting a lot of resources there as well.
Marla: Well, it's, it's great to see you guys as the forefront on innovation and embracing it because I do think, you know, [00:13:40] historically the physical therapy industry doesn't love to change and they, it's, it's hard to sometimes embrace some of those changes that are coming. So I'd love to see that you guys are really putting that as a priority and highlighting it and, and embracing and pushing it.
Kyle: Yeah, and a big, a big sort of, uh, word I've been using a lot in my work with the board and other leaders is. Is as how can [00:14:00] we focus less on change and focus more on evolution, right? Because we've done such good things. Over the first century of our profession that have built that foundation that we need to evolve and take off into the next profession.
Change is scary. Um, and definitely sometimes things do need to change, but really I think we just need to embrace that evolution. And where are we headed next? Built on [00:14:20] the solid foundation that we've had.
Marla: Yeah. And, but at Prompt we really believe in innovation. It's the why to the innovation. Yeah. And the why is, well, we've got these admin pressures, we've got burnout, we've got people leaving the industry, and how can we make it easier for them and use that change and, and those different AI tools to be able to keep them loving their jobs.
Yeah. And succeed. Absolutely.
Kyle: [00:14:40] Right. It's, it's coming. Um, or it's not even coming. It's here. And so how can we integrate it in what we're doing? Let it help our practice be even more effective and more efficient. Um, and also how can we use it to, to tell our story better? How can we use it in our advocacy to get better reimbursement and payment?
Um, there's lots of ways that I think that technology is going [00:15:00] to rapidly change how we practice. And so that's all embedded in that strategic framework. Uh, priority under advancing, um, practice as well.
Marla: And you also mentioned that you are, the industry is looking more at primary care providers and those alternative practice models or just e evolution of practice models.
So tell me more about that. Because I love to see it going in [00:15:20] that direction.
Kyle: Yeah, it's sort of hard to believe, but, um, as a profession, we just got direct access in some form in 50 states last year, or 2024, so, you know. Yeah, that took a long time, obviously, and now we're already seeing rapid change in. And a move toward designating PTS [00:15:40] primary care providers.
So we've been fighting for autonomous practice for decades, direct access for decades now, that shift into also more recognition as a primary care provider is being built on that advocacy success that we've had in autonomous and direct access sort of wins. Uh, we just saw this year, um, the state [00:16:00] of Utah get designated as primary care providers.
We saw the state of Montana get designated with, uh, physician status, and at first people didn't really know, you know, what is that gonna mean? What's that gonna look like? I think we're on the forefront of recognizing. The, the benefits that are gonna snowball from that, right. But to be on that level playing field with other [00:16:20] primary care designation providers is gonna be huge.
I mean, I, I just was in a meeting recently and heard from, uh, a private practice owner in Montana about how now they are going to be able to have, uh, immediate access for workers' comp patients to come directly to physical therapy, not have to bypass. A more convoluted system. Um, [00:16:40] so that's one immediate win that we're seeing from some of these things happening.
And as we see one or two states begin to have this win, we know from our history that that's just gonna snowball. And we've had more state-based legislative winds in the past two years than we've had in, in our history. So I think we're gonna see more of those sort of primary care, uh, [00:17:00] type wins as well.
Also, this summer at the a PT House of Delegates, um, the A PTA House of Delegates improved per. The, the final step in pursuing primary care as a specialty certification designation, so A-B-P-T-S, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties will be putting forth a specialty certification exam in the coming year, um, so that people can have that [00:17:20] specialty designation under primary care as well.
We're also have plans underway to build more residency and fellowship education in that space as well.
Marla: Oh, that's fantastic. And I, I think the being able to see this shift with the primary care providers really should hopefully help reimbursement as well and value-based care. So we'd love to know how you guys are utilizing all that together to, um, your first priority [00:17:40] increase reimbursement.
Kyle: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, uh, you know, we've always had PTs practicing in that direct. Or as primary care providers, there's PTs that have, have fought those battles and provided that service for a long time. So it's not new in a lot of places, but now we're getting more recognition from it, which for it, which is [00:18:00] exciting.
So, you know, I think, uh, a, a good example is a couple of years ago, um, we're a PT in 2024 put out the value of PT report, which is a really comprehensively done. Sort of actuarial report on where are areas of practice that we can save money if you go directly to your physical therapist, um, [00:18:20] we're now being able to use that for big advocacy wins in state, um, state houses, federal government, regulatory, and also insurance companies that are beginning to see changes in, um.
Dropping authorization requirements, um, increasing reimbursement. Um, now those wins aren't happening as fast as [00:18:40] any of us want to for sure, but we're seeing some tides turn in those areas that are really exciting. So I think, uh, on that sort of primary care conversation. Uh, we have the growing sets of data to be able to advocate that more and more physical therapists should have that primary care role.
Our programs, our educational programs have been doing education [00:19:00] in this space for a while. They're ramping that up as well. And so, you know, we're really on that precipice. And I think it's a good example. Going back to something I said earlier. About what's that next evolution of practice. We're at that inflection point, and I think this is something we're gonna see really grow in the next decade.
Marla: Yeah. Wow. Uh, I love the see all the state wins. Are you guys using that to share with other states? [00:19:20] Absolutely. Kind of use it as a model to keep going?
Kyle: Yeah. We've known over our history that when one state wins something, then it's easier for the next state to. When two win, it's easier for four and six.
And then there's a snowball effect, a PTA, um, in partnership with a PTA private practice and a PTA Orthopedics Academies last year, uh, launched [00:19:40] Spark, which is the state payment and advocacy resource center. So it's now a comprehensive sort of clearing house for when one state has a win. They can put their resources, their activity, their actions in one place and other states can more quickly replicate it.
So we're seeing that already have huge wins. And, and that's one of the reasons that we're seeing [00:20:00] faster wins, um, in state houses in 2024 and 2025, that we're, we're communicating better, we're communicating quicker. Um, and that's been great work by private practice and orthopedics along with a PTA that's sort of putting the systems in place to drive that advocacy efficiency.
And we're seeing the wins from that now.
Marla: And the more people we get involved in absolutely doing the advocacy [00:20:20] at the state level, at the private practice level, all the way through the hostile level, the, the better we'll be together. So I know that's just a call to action on my part all the time. I'm always encouraging people instead of complaining to get involved.
Kyle: Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. I mean there's, there's, that's when, that's where we get the wins is more clinicians and [00:20:40] patients and, and business owners telling their story. To their local and insurance and federal, um, representatives, right? These people aren't physical therapists. Um, most of them haven't been a patient.
They don't understand everything that we do and what the pressures we face are. So we need more and more people telling that story and telling the cohesive story. And that's something else I've [00:21:00] been working on in my first year as president is how can we work with other organizations, coalitions of other professions, um, but also other like-minded groups within, uh, the physical therapy sphere to say, let's.
Let's, there's this problem, let's go at it cohesively and collaboratively, um, and, and, and then we'll have [00:21:20] more success.
Marla: What can you tell people, listeners, on how they can help get involved or how they can make an a change themselves?
Kyle: Yeah, I mean, there's, there's so many ways. Uh, A PTA, um, has long had. Um, a really successful grassroots network.
So, going to the Advocate, A PTA Advocacy Action Center, which is a, a [00:21:40] mouthful, has tons of resources that you can use to directly lobby your, um. Your federal representatives, senators, and uh, members of Congress, TED letters, um, on all the activity that A PTA has going on in Congress right now, there's a number of bills at any given time.
Those are always bi partisanly sponsored. That's [00:22:00] another thing that people don't sometimes understand or is a misconception. Um, when we enter into, um. Activity on the hill. We almost always do that with a Republican and a Democratic co-sponsor. It's really important for us to have that bipartisan support.
Our issues are bipartisan issues. They're about helping patients. That's not a Republican or a Democrat thing. [00:22:20] That's a, that's a, that's what we do and it's core to who we are. So whatever your political affiliations are, I also want people to know that there's a place for that voice within A PTA and there's a resource, resources for that.
Um, you know, it's, it's a time right now that I think our politics are divisive. But, uh, what we do for our patients in an advocacy, uh, arena [00:22:40] isn't and doesn't need to be. And so, um, the Action Center has tons of resources you can sign up to get alerts so you know what's going on. Um, it's also important to get plugged in with what's happening in your state.
So every state chapter is really active in their state houses and their state legislatures. And also the state chapters tend to also be active in sort of the [00:23:00] state-based intermediaries of insurance companies. Like I know in my home state we have, uh, a great relationship with Blue Cross Blue Shield in North Carolina.
Um, so finding out those resources within your state to plug into the people that are already doing that work and say, Hey, like, I'm a practice owner, or, um, I'm, I'm a frontline clinician. Um, I wanna [00:23:20] speak to people that can help make a change. Your, your state leaders in A PTA are gonna be able to connect you with those people and also our grassroots network at A PTA Nashville is gonna be able to help you connect with those people.
Marla: Yeah, and I, and I heard that you can get a meeting with CMS anytime. You can actually request one and they have to take one with you. I actually just did it the other day. Yeah.
Kyle: That's awesome.
Marla: So you, you, you can be reaching out and really [00:23:40] bringing any of your own information, your own outcomes to them. Um, to really help.
Kyle: Yeah, and I think another two other things that I think people don't do enough that are really impactful is going to Capitol Hill is great, but it's really a lot of the times those, uh. Representatives of Congress or senators, they wanna see what's happening in their own district. So call their local office, invite them to [00:24:00] your practice.
Um, I've, I've been able to be a part of that multiple times, uh, where I work in the Duke, uh, duke Health System to invite, uh, legislators into our clinics. See what's happening, see the pressures you face. They really enjoy that opportunity. They learn so much by doing that. And then they become better advocates of you.
So, so do that. A BT can also help support you [00:24:20] if you want to do a clinical visit, uh, in your local area. It has a huge impact. And the other thing that I think we underestimate from an advocacy standpoint is physical therapists, physical therapist assistance, spend so much time with our patients, probably more so than any other healthcare provider.
And you hear your patient's frustrations, you know, their, their frustration with having to cancel visits 'cause they're not [00:24:40] authorized or the delay in a prior authorization. So help them know how to call their insurance company a PTA's got resources for patients as well. Point them in that direction. I, I have a friend that, uh, has a computer in their, uh, uh, front office.
And when patients want to have a voice, they take them to that computer and say, here's your resources. Here's some from a PTA. Here's how [00:25:00] you also can contact Medicare, CMS, uh, your insurance company, your legislator about these issues.
Marla: Yeah. And you actually guys just did a survey recently about the perception of physical therapy.
Yeah. And it was great. The patients love us. They, they really do. It was, I mean, you can tell a little bit more about the results, but it sounds like it was super successful That what? That's [00:25:20] not the problem. The patients are really
Kyle: correct
Marla: all
for
it.
Kyle: Yeah. Last year we did a physician's perception report.
This year we did a large scale population patient perception report. Both were very clear. The physicians and the patients love us, respect us, and recognize that we have an important role to play in their health and in [00:25:40] their rehab and in prevention. Where the disconnect is, is they're not sure how to get to us, so we've got a lot more work to do.
A PTA is gonna be doing this as well, and, and I invite everybody. It's really from that data shows us, it's about helping them have the access to us, helping them understand that referral and authorization process that we all [00:26:00] hate and is so onerous. Uh, it, it's getting those burdens down so that they can get to us.
It's not because they don't want to come, it's not because they don't know they that we can help. It's because the, the systems and the ability to navigate both for physicians and for patients to access our services is where the breakdown's happening.
Marla: So [00:26:20] maybe, maybe next year we could do a payer perception survey.
Yeah, that'd be great. And you can let us know how that goes too. Um, great. Uh, and, and. With all of that. I mean, it sounds like the A PTA really is starting to do a lot more. They've always done a lot, but really, again, prioritizing what they've heard from their members, uh, at the top now. So would love to know, [00:26:40] 'cause this question comes up all the time.
Why should somebody be an A PTA member?
Kyle: Yeah. A PTA is is the largest advocacy organization for physical therapy in the country. Um, A PTA is working harder than, uh, than most people would understand or believe on all of these issues. I am determined as, as [00:27:00] president to lead an organization is not only working on these issues, but is fighting for, for our members on these issues.
And I think, I think we can fight harder when we have more people at the table to join in that fight. Um, and that's one reason to belong. Uh, we need that help. We need that support. We need those various [00:27:20] perspectives and opinions, um, at the table and involved and engaged so that we can take those evolutionary steps forward in getting better payment, getting decreased burden, getting, uh, better resources for our new grads that are, that are burdened by the costs of their education.
Um, we, we want to take those steps forward in a [00:27:40] fight and we know we can do it better with more people involved. The other reason to belong is, is all of the resources, activity, the networking. That has really been instrumental in my career. I mean, obviously I've, I've done a lot in a PTA and I've gotten to the point that I'm president, but even without any of that, um.
My experience [00:28:00] in the organization that's been instrumental for my career development is, is being able to connect with people, um, that I, I wouldn't intersect in my daily job. Um, that have been transformative and helpful in my career development as well. The education that, uh, we provide, uh, the, the resources that we provide are, are all great.
[00:28:20] Um, but it's really that ability to connect, um, uh, belong within a group, uh, that, that I can find ways to develop my career, but then also join a fight, um, on, on all the things that we know, uh, we need to improve. And, and that's why we need everybody at the table.
Marla: My previous role was a VP of clinical excellence at a very, very large enterprise organization, and [00:28:40] we built in, into the career ladder at the highest rung, right?
Because you should always have a mentor and you should always be mentoring someone at the highest rung. Encouraging them to find a leadership role or a, a position within the A PTA because we feel like that was also more people to mentor them outside of the organization. Yeah,
Kyle: absolutely. I mean, we're all [00:29:00] product of, we're all products of the great mentors that we had.
And I would be nowhere and not in this role if it hadn't been for the great mentors and, and most of mine were through a PTA, um, and through, um, through those connections. Um, it's really, it's really changed my career, but, but you're right. Like I think, um, [00:29:20] though that ability to sort of engage is different.
So when a lot of people are like, why should I be a member? My answer to that question is. Not only should you be a member, but you should be a member who's involved and engaged, and that's when you'll feel the the value of the membership.
Marla: Yeah, that's a great point. That's when you're gonna feel the value you'll be giving and [00:29:40] getting back just the same you give.
Kyle: Absolutely. Yeah. And there's a role for everybody, right? There's, uh, there's, there's a way to get involved. Sometimes it's hard to find the role for you, and I think that's a problem that we have and that's sort of in the next strategic framework under that empowering our members aspect is how can we make it easier for people to find that way that's [00:30:00] meaningful.
That makes it clear why there's. Uh, a return on the investment for that. I think that's where the gap has been. Sometimes it's similar to the conversation about our, our patients know that we're doing good things, but they don't know how to get to us. I think a PTA's got that challenge as well. People might recognize that a PTA is the advocacy group and has the networking and has the clinical practice guidelines and has [00:30:20] specialty certification and, and all of that.
But, but finding that way to plug in is, is what we wanna make even easier.
Marla: Yeah. Wow. I think that's, that's a good something to work on for the upcoming year. Um, and in addition to that, so there's some other organizations popping up too, you know, [00:30:40] I know A-P-T-Q-I and a couple others. How are you guys all working together and, and what does that look like?
Kyle: Yeah, I mean, uh, that's, that's a great example from just my first year, uh, in practice, I've worked closely with the leadership of A-P-T-Q-I-A-P-T, a private practice. We're working on some collaborative things now, um, around some efforts in, in advancing practice and [00:31:00] reducing administrative burden. We meet regularly and say, all right, we all know that this is a problem.
Um, how can we go after solving this problem in new and different ways? We have a meeting, uh, here tomorrow about that. And also, you know, what's our different unique roles within that? Like, let's not trip over each other. Let's facilitate forward movement. [00:31:20] Amongst each other. And so that's how I'm looking at it, uh, in, in my leadership as president.
Um, I've been fortunate to have, uh, uh, you know, great progress and great work with A-P-T-Q-I and a PTA private practice, uh, this year. And, and I think you'll be hearing more coming outta that work in, in 2026.
Marla: Great. We do, we do a lot more together. So I, I love that approach. [00:31:40] Um, and for us as a technology company, what.
What would you recommend that we could do better to help with the industry? To bring people together or, or what are we doing well that you feel is, is impactful?
Kyle: Yeah, I mean, I, I was fortunate to get to, to tour prompt headquarters a few weeks ago. That was a lot of fun and exciting and get to learn more myself.
You know, I think as companies like Prompt and also, you know, [00:32:00] anybody involved in that tech space. Um, I, I think what's so great is recognizing that a, a companies like you all that recognize that there's. A, a core, hands-on personal connection to what we do that can't go away. But how can we use technology to make it easier for us to do the [00:32:20] things that are core to what we do as physical therapists?
And so I think, um, for, for anybody in that tech and innovation space that can recognize what's unique about PT in our practice and, and accentuate that through technology and evolution and advancement and innovation. That, that's just awesome and that's what we're gonna need more and more of.
Marla: Yeah. Not [00:32:40] to replace it.
To augment it. Accentuate it, yeah. And help people do what they love. Absolutely. Which is treating patients and getting the better.
Kyle: Absolutely.
Marla: Awesome. Well, any, any last minute words of advice for anyone listening today or encouragement that you wanna tell our listeners?
Kyle: A message I always like to try to give is, and, and we touched on it a little bit, right?
A PT is fighting on these [00:33:00] issues. I know. And, and it literally has kept me up at night sometimes this, this year of. Of how challenging things are for, uh, for most of the people within the profession right now. Um, and I just want people to hear that we're, we're fighting hard on that. A lot of people are fighting hard on that.
A lot of leaders across the organization within A PTA, [00:33:20] across partner organizations recognize those challenges and are fighting hard on 'em. None of them are easy and all of them are. Challenges embedded in an infinite number of places. And, you know, we live in a, in an Amazon Prime culture, uh, where, where, where we're used to quick fixes.
Um, and unfortunately these are hard issues that [00:33:40] are gonna be marathon, sort of sprints. But we're gaining speed, we're gaining traction, and really, uh, at a unique point right now where we're seeing some things turn and change fast. But we need people on board to sort of push that even harder. And so, um, the message is, we hear you we're fighting, um, we're [00:34:00] gonna fight even harder in 2026, and I'm sure we'll fight even harder than that in 2027.
Um, and, and we just want everybody partnered with us in that fight.
Marla: Well, I look forward to the strategic plan coming out with the prioritization, like you said, those, those big ticket items that we all care about, which is the reimbursement, the innovation, and the, and the practice models, and encourage everyone to.
Really think about [00:34:20] that and adopt it and embrace it themselves, and then help be part of it.
Kyle: Absolutely.
Marla: Awesome. Well, this was such a pleasure. Thank you so much. I know. Thank you. Your time is so valuable, so thank you for spending it with that.
Kyle: Oh, that's fun. This is the fun stuff.
Marla: All right. Thank you.