After returning from the 2025 APTA Private Practice Section Conference, we’ve been energized by the momentum surrounding Industrial Therapy and the Direct to Employer movement!

Earlier, we shared highlights from several impactful sessions, but two additional presentations stood out as especially relevant to the advancement of the KEY Method and the future of therapy in workplace settings. These sessions reinforced a clear message: the landscape of physical therapy is changing, and the opportunities ahead are both substantial and urgent.

Breaking the Cycle: Sustainable Growth Through Direct-to-Employer Strategies

Speakers:

Tim Spooner PT FAFS, Scottsdale, AZ

Matthew VanderKooi PT MS COMT FAAOMPT FAFS, Lodi WI

In this compelling session, Spooner and VanderKooi emphasized the harsh reality facing private practice owners: doing nothing is no longer an option. They spoke openly about the consequences of remaining within the traditional treat-then-invoice model, where therapists wait and wait again for payment while Employers continue to grapple with rising musculoskeletal costs.

Spooner presented a stark but motivating set of statistics that every therapist should understand:

• $420 billion is spent annually by Employers on MSK-related healthcare
• About 50 percent of people are currently struggling with an MSK issue
• Only 6 to 10 percent of MSK patients ever access physical therapy
• That means 90 percent of people who could benefit from PT never receive it

This data paints a clear picture. The vast majority of workers who could be helped through early intervention never reach a therapist! Instead, spending flows toward unnecessary imaging, prolonged medical delays, surgery, and opioid use. Spooner made the case that therapists should be stepping directly into employer settings, where they can intervene early, reduce downstream costs, and provide meaningful, ongoing support to employees.

VanderKooi paired these concepts with real-world examples from his years of Direct-to-Employer work. He showed how embedded prevention and early access produce better outcomes, reduce costs, improve employer satisfaction, and create more stable and rewarding revenue for therapists.

Specialty Networking Room: Direct to Employer

The networking session facilitated by VanderKooi was equally illuminating. Therapists from all over the country shared their experiences, challenges, and successes with Direct-to-Employer programs. 

The energy in the room was unmistakable! Even though Industrial Therapy has existed for over forty years, there is a renewed urgency to expand knowledge, share and refine models, and bring these practices into the mainstream.

Participants expressed a genuine hunger to learn from one another and a collective desire to push Industrial Therapy forward. It became clear that many pathways exist for therapists to serve Employers, and that each model presents unique opportunities for meaningful community impact.

The message from both sessions was unmistakable: the future of physical therapy lies in prevention, early intervention, and direct relationships with Employers. Therapists have the skills, the knowledge, and the responsibility to step into this space now.

If you’re ready to learn how the KEY Method can help you partner directly with local industries and begin making a difference in workforce health, call us today. Let’s build this future together.