Wellness Programs focus on helping your clients improve their health and physical fitness, to prevent injuries before they happen. Wellness services are a way for physical therapists to branch out from traditional services and try something new and different. Within this setting, you have the option to run your own private practice within an outpatient, fitness or athletic training facility, or to work as an employee of these kinds of facilities. You can develop wellness programs for medical clients, similar to those offered by gyms, except under your experienced and watchful eye. Practicing physical therapy in the wellness setting requires you to differentiate your services from Personal and Athletic Trainers.
Wellness services are a great way to expand the offerings of an outpatient clinic, helping to increase its revenue and patient base. An example of this is the Physiquality Program run by therapy professionals based in Calabasas, California, who are also members of the PTPN, a national network of private practice therapists. Physiquality offers cash-based fitness and wellness programs that help clients increase strength and muscle tone, and lose weight along the way. Click here to learn more about the Physiquality Program, and other successful wellness therapy endeavors.
Career options
As you market your wellness services to the general population, your clients could include any of the following:
- People in need of weight loss, especially to treat weight-related diseases, such as diabetes
- Those looking to become and stay more physically fit and active, such as baby boomers and older adults who live in assisted living centers.
- People with children in competitive sports, or adults in competitive sports, who want to increase their athletic performance
Benefits of working in the wellness and fitness setting
Since wellness physical therapists work closely with personal trainers, fitness facilities, and sports clinics, they may be able to share high-priced equipment among multiple users. Therapists working in facilities have a great referral base. The facility can market their programs to clinic patients at the completion of their rehab, and fitness/sports facility members are quick to sign up for therapy with the resident expert. Fitness and wellness services also allow entrepreneurial therapists to expand their clinic’s offerings and generate more income. Private Practices that offer these types of services may be able to expand their cash based reimbursements, and gain some independence from the pressures of insurance based payers.
Salary of outpatient therapists
The salary of physical therapists working in the outpatient setting can be very lucrative. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, therapists working in this setting earn an average annual salary of $81,790. And this can increase if the wellness clinic is part of your own private practice.
To learn more
To network with other physical therapists working in this setting, you can become a member of the PTPN. To learn more, just visit www.ptpn.com. You can also check out the sports section of the American Physical Therapy Association.
Looking for your next therapy position?
If you’re a physical therapist in search of your next job, look no further than PT Solutions. We’re a staffing agency of therapists for therapists, and we’ll work with you to find a placement that meets your unique career needs. To learn more, contact PT Solutions today.
