Growth Starts at the Front Door: Lessons from TherapyCon 2025
TherapyCon 2025 underscored a clear message: physical therapy practices can’t achieve sustainable growth without strong front office workflows. Consistent, reliable processes not only drive predictable results, but also create the structure needed for AI and automation to thrive and power future growth.
Front Office Workflows as the Growth Engine
A recurring theme across the conference was the central role of the front office in shaping patient experience and business performance. From intake and scheduling to lead follow-up, practices that manage these touchpoints with clarity and consistency are positioned to scale. Conversely, those without standardized workflows risk losing patients before treatment ever begins.
Sessions, especially the opening keynote (RIP EMR… The Age of AI is Here), emphasized that effective use of AI depends on this foundation. Clean, structured data from the front desk is what allows automation and decision-support tools to deliver real value. Without reliable processes, technology will only amplify existing inefficiencies.
This reflects the growing importance of solutions like Second Door’s integrated Digital Front Door and Lead Management, which help practices capture, track, and convert patients more effectively from a single dashboard.
Scaling in the Face of Margin Pressure
Growth was the other major thread running through the event. Attendees spoke openly about the appetite to expand but acknowledged that traditional levers—more visits, more locations—often don’t work under current margin constraints.
Scott Hebert and Jake Nero hosted a session about direct-to-employer (D2E) partnerships and highlighted a different path forward. By contracting directly with local employers, practices can achieve higher reimbursement rates and reduce administrative overhead. This model aligns with employer priorities on cost and outcomes, while giving PT clinics a way to scale that isn’t tied exclusively to volume.
Additional Highlights
- AI and documentation: Demonstrations showed how ambient scribing and workflow support are reducing administrative burden.
- Regulatory focus: Panels reminded attendees that innovation must be balanced with compliance and patient protection.
- Patient journey mapping: Several sessions reinforced the importance of measuring the full patient journey, not just episodes of care, as a foundation for smarter operations and value-based models.
Three Big Takeaways
TherapyCon 2025 reinforced that sustainable growth depends on operational discipline. The key takeaways for practices:
- Standardize front office workflows to prevent leakage.
- Layer in AI and automation once those workflows are reliable.
- Explore alternative revenue models like direct contracting and cash pay subscriptions as growth levers that strengthen both revenue and patient access.
The message was consistent: front office consistency fuels growth, and there are new models emerging that give practices the chance to scale even under margin pressure.
👉 Want to see how Second Door supports PT groups with front office tools and direct employer contracting? Let’s talk.
