The Voyager: Outpatient PT Burnout

Kyle Barnett, PT, DPT, Cert MDT, SFMA, Area Leader

Outpatient PT Burnout: What you need to know – Part 1

Burnout in healthcare isn’t new – but in outpatient physical therapy, it’s becoming an epidemic. Many clinicians enter the field with purpose and passion, only to find themselves emotionally drained, disconnected, and questioning their career path in just a few years. If you’re feeling this weight, you’re not alone – and the issue runs deeper than just “being tired.”

Why is burnout such a challenge in outpatient PT?

Productivity pressure
- Outpatient clinics often operate under a high-volume model where clinicians treat multiple patients at once. The shift from quality to quantity brings with it:
  - Constant multi-tasking
  - less time for documentation (leading to charting after work)
  - Moral distress from not delivering the care you were trained to deliver
Reimbursement challenges
- A steep decline in insurance reimbursement has forced therapy companies to push productivity. That pressure trickles down, impacting:
  - Wages and benefits
  - Clinical autonomy
  - Treatment flexibility
Emotional engagement
- Physical therapists do far more than treat musculoskeletal issues. They’re coaches, counselors, and cheerleaders who help patients cope with fear, frustration, and setbacks. Over time, this emotional weight builds, especially when dealing with chronic pain, limiting resources, or poor prognoses.
Administrative Burden
- Documentation and “note fatigue”. Clinicians are expected to:
  - Complete extensive EMR documentation
  - Manage insurance authorizations and denials
  - Coordinate across multiple providers
  - Engage in marketing, quality assurance, continuing education, and more

Where do we go from here?

‘Burnout’ – will sneak up on you and catch you off guard.

The real question for clinicians is: What is your employer doing to address these challenges?

Forward-thinking organizations are beginning to:

Provide opportunities for clinicians to stay connected to a larger purpose, “The Why” behind being a therapist
Streamline insurance processes and patient communication tools
Create staffing models that emphasize balance over volume

At LHM Physical Therapy, we don’t claim to have it all figured out. But we are taking an intentional stance to tackle many of these problems head-on. We’ll explore some of those solutions in the next Voyager…

Enjoy the Journey!