The Future of AI in #PhysicalTherapy: Bridging the Gap Between Potential and Practice

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries worldwide, yet healthcare, particularly physical therapy, remains a notable laggard. Despite the immense potential of AI to revolutionize aspects of physical therapy, widespread adoption has been slow. This blog explores the areas where AI can significantly impact and highlights some pioneering companies leading the charge as well as the key stranglehold or friction point to uptake.

The Lag in Healthcare AI Adoption

Healthcare has always been slow to adopt rapid technological changes. The complexities of patient care, regulatory hurdles, and an inherent risk-aversion contribute to this resistance. Physical therapy, a crucial yet often overlooked segment of healthcare, mirrors this trend. While the broader healthcare industry gradually embraces AI, physical therapy providers have yet to fully leverage its benefits.

Areas Ripe for AI Innovation

1. Documentation. One of the most time-consuming tasks for physical therapists is documentation. The meticulous nature of patient records can lead to burnout, taking valuable time away from patient care. AI-powered tools can streamline documentation, ensuring accuracy and saving time. Automated documentation systems can transcribe sessions, identify key points, and organize notes efficiently.
2. Scheduling Optimization. Efficient scheduling is critical for maximizing patient care and therapist productivity. AI can analyze patterns, predict no-shows, and optimize appointment scheduling. This leads to better resource allocation, reduced waiting times for patients, and less downtime for therapists.
3. Compliance and Regulation. Navigating the labyrinth of healthcare regulations is daunting. AI can assist in ensuring compliance with minimal human intervention. By continuously updating and cross-referencing regulatory changes, AI systems can help physical therapy practices remain compliant effortlessly.
4. Exercise documentation/instruction. There are many systems that are using AI for programmable tasks that interface directly with patients and measure movement, gather data, and share between patient and their PT.
5. Insurance Claims Processing. The complexity of insurance claims processing is a significant pain point. AI can simplify and expedite this process by automating claim submissions, detecting errors, and reducing the risk of denials. This results in faster reimbursements and less administrative burden.
6. Tons of others. There are many other use cases of AI and #physicaltherapy including patient assessment and diagnosis, administration (ranging from business Intelligence tools, HR, and customer service) and taking notes at zoom meetings.

Pioneering Companies in AI for Physical Therapy

Despite the overall slow adoption, some companies are making notable strides in integrating AI into physical therapy. I am including a few just to show the variability. (of note, have no financial interest and didn’t include a ton that purports to do AI and exercise):

• Linedance AI: This company focuses on enhancing patient outcomes through data-driven insights. Their AI algorithms analyze patient data to tailor personalized rehabilitation plans, improving recovery rates and patient satisfaction.
• Scribe PT: Scribe PT leverages AI to streamline documentation processes. Their tools transcribe therapist-patient interactions in real-time, ensuring accurate and comprehensive records without the manual effort.
• TAPT Health: TAPT Health employs AI for scheduling optimization and patient engagement. Their platform predicts patient behavior, optimizes schedules, and enhances communication, leading to more efficient practice management.

The Major Impediment

Over the years, there have been many attempts to streamline and speed up documentation from remote scribes to speech recognition. While these have helped, the main speed bump has been the extreme regulatory environment in healthcare in general and physical therapy specifically. As I have reported many times, the only thing that holds more rules and regulations than healthcare is nuclear power plants. Many payors have specific documentation requirements, unique forms, and superimposed requirements, including precertification, plans of care that have to be signed by referring physicians, and other processing “to-do’s” that have to be sent to various places. The challenge in AI in documentation is not in getting notes done but getting them mapped appropriately by payor and this task has proven difficult if not insurmountable. It has taken years for claims submissions to get even close, and precertification in physical therapy has never stood the test of automation for all payors. AI might simply be another case where the technology will exceed the ability of payors to adopt and accept due to the age old “system issue”. It’s why physical therapy, entrenched in the CPT code system, has not been replaced adequately by more rational payment types, including per diem, cap rates, or bundled payments — most payor systems can’t support it. Arguably, value-based or alternative payment models are limited by the regulatory environment and limitations of payors’ legacy processing -pretty crazy when you think of the exponential value (for patients and an overpriced healthcare system) that can be unleashed by a much more sane system of payment.

Already Being Debated

Like telehealth, there is a sector that believes that AI, particularly exercise, will replace physical therapy, as though there are folks clamoring to be measured while doing stretches in front of their iPhones. Rather, like telehealth, AI can augment or be used to improve compliance and the overall experience in physical therapy. Let’s hope this debate is already settled.

The Road Ahead

The integration of AI in physical therapy holds immense promise. By addressing key pain points such as documentation, scheduling, compliance, and insurance processing, AI can alleviate burnout and enhance patient care. However, realizing this potential requires a shift in mindset among providers and stakeholders.

To bridge the gap between potential and practice, physical therapy professionals must embrace AI as a tool for empowerment rather than a replacement. Investing in AI technologies, training staff, and fostering a culture of innovation are crucial steps toward a future where AI and physical therapy coexist seamlessly, driving improved outcomes for both patients and practitioners.

In conclusion, while healthcare’s cautious approach to AI adoption is understandable, the time is ripe for physical therapy to harness the power of AI. By doing so, the industry can overcome longstanding challenges and pave the way for a more efficient, patient-centric future.

thoughts?

larry

@physicaltherapy