🔹 Episode Summary



Emergency Department Physical Therapy is more than just mobility support — it’s a gateway to better outcomes, reduced admissions, enhanced patient experience, and system-wide cost savings. In this episode, Dr. Cassie Mountz explains why embedding PT at the “front porch” of care transforms the entire healthcare house.







🗣️ Featured Guest



Dr. Cassie Mountz, DPT, ED-PT leader and innovator. Dr. Mountz shares practical insights from her experience pioneering ED-based PT programs and advocates for expanding practice scope nationwide.







🧭 Key Takeaways




The ED as Healthcare’s Front Porch

Early PT involvement influences admission decisions and care pathways immediately upon patient arrival.



Example scenarios where prompt PT action shifted the patient journey.





Implementing ED‑PT in Real World Settings

Effective strategies for training, staffing, and securing administrative support.



Practical tips for building interprofessional collaboration in fast‑paced environments.





Clinical Impacts of Embedded PT

Improved pain management, reduced opioid use, fewer unnecessary admissions, and enhanced patient satisfaction.



Highlighted metrics and case outcomes.





Teamwork That Works

Best practices for coordination between PTs, physicians, nurses, and case managers.



Embedding PT workflows within existing ED processes.





Advocacy & Vision for the Future

Dr. Mountz’s goals for national recognition and standardized ED-PT protocols.



Steps practitioners can take to champion change in their institutions.










💬 Noteworthy Quotes




“We’re caring at the threshold — right where everything begins.” (~00:05:40)



“Early mobilization isn’t just convenient — it prevents decline in complex patients.” (~00:13:25)



“When PT is embedded in the ED team, positive ripple effects spread throughout the system.” (~00:22:10)








🔗 Links & Resources




Dr. Mountz’s key publications on ED-based PT and service integration



Case series and pilot studies showing admission rates and length-of-stay reductions



Additional reading on interprofessional collaboration in acute care settings








👤 Why This Episode Matters




Ideal listening for ED clinicians, physical therapists, hospital leaders, and health policy stakeholders



Combines story-driven examples with system-level evidence and action steps



A motivational roadmap for expanding PT scope and creating value at the point of entry








✅ Great For …



AudienceBenefitPhysical Therapists (PTs)Understand how to start or scale ED-PT servicesClinic & Hospital AdministratorsSee cost and care benefits of early PT in EDInterprofessional CliniciansLearn strategies for seamless team integrationPolicy & Advocacy LeadersGet vision-aligned frameworks for role expansion







🎧 Listen or watch now and discover how the ED “front porch” can become a powerful gateway to patient-centered, cost-effective care.

Welcome to a special solo episode of In the ED Now. Today, I'm speaking directly to the new graduates—the DPT and PTA Class of 2025. Whether you're celebrating with cap and gown or stepping into your first job full of nerves and hope, this episode is for you.



This isn't just a congratulations. It's a call to action—a love letter to your potential.



In this episode, I explore:



• 🔬 The shifting landscape of healthcare and what it means for your role• 💡 Why innovation isn't optional—it's the future of patient care• ❤️ How compassion remains our most powerful clinical skill• 📣 What it looks like to advocate for patients, our profession, and each other• 🏔 Why top of scope isn’t just where we should practice—it’s where we belong



You’re not just joining a profession—you’re inheriting a legacy. And more importantly, you're being invited to reimagine it.



Let this be your reminder: You are the ones we’ve been waiting for. Go forward boldly.



🔗 Links & Resources:



• Follow @theeddpt on Instagram• Interested in continuing education? Check out our upcoming courses here



💬 Stay Connected



Have a question, idea, or want to share your grad story? Tag @theeddpt and use #TopOfScope so we can celebrate you!

Did you miss journal club? No worries. Listen to the recording in podcast format. Article citation below.



Good D. M. (2021). Emergency department physical therapy: An important tool for emergency physicians. Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, 28(8), 936–937. https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.14300

"Burnout is not your fault."

"PTs need to be aware of signs of opioid overdose and what to do to save a life."

“I love what I do and I love telling people what I do! Come find out more about what PTs do and can do in this setting from someone who is entirely too enthusiastic!”

“Being a sports PT has many avenues outside of the traditional setting where you're able to work as a team with several providers to elevate the athlete experience.”

“Be bold! Don’t be timid in the ED. Other HCPs are intrigued with how much DPTs know!”

PTs in the ED must have strong neurologic exam skills and know what to do with the results.

"Grief is love's souvenir. It's our proof that we once loved. Grief is the receipt we wave in the air that says to the world: Look! Love was once mine." -Glennon Doyle

People need support when they are in crisis and are often dismissed as having a mental health issue with a psych consult in the ED due to poor coping skills. It has been reported by many patient advocacy organizations that people with complex and chronic health conditions such as the ones discussed see > 5-7 MDs before acquiring a diagnosis. Specialty provider appointments often have month-long waiting lists and PTs can be instrumental in partnering with patients to identify symptom triggers and to address specific impairments to help turn down the volume of ANS and immune reactivity until medical help can be acquired. PTs are primary care providers and need innovative tools like DizzyDx™ to help with clinical reasoning.

“50% of Americans are anticipated to be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. Are you prepared to treat these patients? Because you will.”

Dr. Holland’s mission - “Inclusive Care improves safety in healthcare encounters by educating and empowering patients and providers to expect and advocate for individualized, affirming, trauma informed health care solutions.”

This presentation will prepare you for what to do next when you receive a patient with a diagnosis of dizziness in the ED

“Musculoskeletal ultrasound could be key to streamlining ED PT visits.”

“I am inspired by people who are able to make a change that causes people to forget that an older model ever existed.”

“The ability to navigate some of the most complex patients in one of the most dynamic environments is crucial for a successful emergency department physical therapist practice.”

“Physical therapists must embrace their role as a doctoring profession, working at the highest level of their scope and accepting the responsibility that comes with it.”

“PEM/PESE was the most common thing no one ever heard of before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now it's even more common. People with PEM/PESE are already coming to the ED and they will be more commonly encountered there over time.”

What strategies can we use to identify the right patients for manual therapy?

“I think communication is the key. Having a preference for this has been one of the strongest predictors for sure. I do think matching mechanisms is important and we need to look at “where the patient is” to determine need.”