Social determinants of health impact up to 70–80% of patient outcomes. In this episode, PTs and clinic leaders learn how factors like housing, transportation, race, and community resources influence rehab success — and what physical therapists can actually do about it.
Many PTs focus on treatment plans, exercise programs, and manual therapy. But real patient outcomes are shaped far beyond the clinic walls.
In this conversation, Lisa VanHoose, Rupal Patel, and Zachary Thron break down how social determinants of health affect physical therapy outcomes — and why PTs must start thinking beyond the biomedical model.
They explain how community conditions, inequities, and social barriers influence recovery, why diversity and inclusion matter in patient care, and what clinicians can do today to better serve their communities.
If you're a PT, clinic owner, or rehab leader, this conversation challenges how we define outcomes and what it really means to transform society through physical therapy.
00:00 Intro And Guest Welcome
03:10 How This Collaboration Started
09:30 Social Determinants Of Health
15:20 Diversity Equity Inclusion Explained
22:30 The 80% Outcome Problem
33:10 Tools For PT Clinics
47:00 Why Patients Keep Returning
01:03:00 Final Parting Shots
