Why PTs Struggle to Negotiate (And What to Do About It)

Most physical therapists know they should negotiate—but few feel confident doing it.In this episode, Jimmy McKay and Rebekah Griffith break down why negotiation feels uncomfortable in PT and how that hesitation impacts salary, contracts, and clinic growth.This isn’t about becoming a “salesperson.” It’s about communicating value clearly so you can get paid appropriately and build better professional relationships.Key Insights:• Negotiation isn’t about you—it’s about the impact you create• If you don’t define scope first, price conversations fall apart• Most PTs start negotiating too late in the conversation• Asking better questions is more powerful than “selling”• Saying no is a critical business skill—not a failure• You need a clear “floor” before entering any negotiation• Every conversation is a negotiation for informationWhy This Matters to PTs & Clinic OwnersIf you can’t negotiate:• You accept lower reimbursement• You underprice your services• You limit clinic growth• You burn out doing work that isn’t alignedBetter negotiation = better business decisions and better patient outcomes.GUESTRebekah GriffithSPONSORSSaRA HealthHelping clinics increase revenue between visits with automated patient engagementhttps://sarahealth.comEMPOWER EMRFaster documentation, better workflows, built for PTshttps://empoweremr.comU.S. Physical TherapyClinician-led growth and career development opportunitieshttps://usph.com