Remodeling the Future of Physical Therapy: Lessons from APTA CSM 2026

Reflecting on the 2026 APTA Combined Sections Meeting, I am filled with both concern and optimism.

Steve DiPaola
Feb 20, 20262 min read
Remodeling the Future of Physical Therapy: Lessons from APTA CSM 2026

Reflecting on the 2026 APTA Combined Sections Meeting, I am filled with both concern and optimism. Having spent over 35 years seeking clinical and business wisdom to help shape our healthcare future, I am encouraged by our current momentum toward elevating practice into a data-driven, technology-enhanced model.

While the exhibit hall was filled with the usual recruiting mania and a high concentration of AI-based solutions, we must remain informed and discriminating consumers. I believe we must automate our practices where value exists to reduce administrative burdens and costs, but we must also view these tools through the lens of the staff physical therapist to ensure we are making their lives simpler. Although we cannot immediately change regulation or reimbursement, we can certainly shape what technology-enhanced practice looks like.

At FIGUR8, we are striving to be a catalyst for this approach through standardized clinical MSK data and language. Just as practice models evolve, so must the way we measure our impact on patients. Our MSK Data Council recently held productive, realistic conversations regarding how we define our data collection and analysis to deliver solutions that support the value of PT-first care across all practice models.

The infrastructure of our profession is being remodeled. We must engage in these discussions to ensure we are identifying high-value innovations while avoiding low-value changes that only create unnecessary anxiety.

We look forward to collaborating with our clinical and business colleagues to architect this data-driven remodel alongside fellow physical therapists. Thank you to everyone for the time spent, —both seasoned professionals and those new to the field—who are committed to helping our profession evolve.

Physical Therapy

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