Private Practice Owners Club

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Automation That Maximizes Front Desk Efficiency with Ryan Klepps of SecondDoor

2026-11-1031:46

Your practice may already have enough demand to fill your schedule. The problem may be that your front desk simply isn't able to capture, convert, and schedule it fast enough. In this episode of the Private Practice Owners Club, Nathan Shields sits down with Ryan KPS, COO and co-founder of Second Door Health, to explore how automation and AI are changing the way private practices handle leads, scheduling, phone calls, referrals, and front-desk operations. They break down how practices can capture more demand, reduce manual work, improve conversion rates, optimize payer mix, and give their front office team more time to focus on the patients actually standing in front of them. In this episode, you'll learn: Why practices may already have more patient demand than they realizeHow missed referrals can leave valuable patients sitting in a fax queueWhy front-office processes are still heavily dependent on manual workHow automation can capture leads from fax, web, and phoneHow AI can identify and process new patient referralsWhy lead capture is only the first stepHow automation can improve lead conversion and schedulingHow self-scheduling can make the patient experience more convenientHow practices can create rules around evaluation schedulingWhy payer mix optimization can increase net revenue per visitHow better case mix can give practices more leverage with low-paying payersHow AI agents can answer calls and help schedule new patientsWhy convenience is becoming increasingly important in healthcareHow automation can allow front-desk staff to spend more time with patientsHow integrating automation with the EMR can eliminate unnecessary manual stepsWhy tracking lead-to-schedule and schedule-to-attendance conversion rates mattersHow practice owners can identify which front-desk employees are most effective at converting leadsHow better reporting can lead to faster training and operational decisionsHow automation can reduce front-office costs while increasing capacityWhere AI and automation could improve scheduling, cancellations, waitlists, and insurance verification Automation isn't about replacing the human experience. It's about removing repetitive work so your team can spend more time doing the work that actually requires a human. If you're a private practice owner looking to improve front-desk efficiency, capture more patients, and turn existing demand into more revenue, this episode is for you.Want to talk about how we can help you with your PT business, or have a question you want to ask? Book a call with Nathan - https://calendly.com/ptoclub/discoverycallLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://ptoclub.com/

3 Ways to Plug $10k in Monthly Revenue Leaks, with Matt Slimming of PT Pilot Billing

2026-11-0334:20

A profitable physical therapy practice can still be losing thousands of dollars every month without the owner realizing where the money is going.In this episode of the Private Practice Owners Club, Nathan Shields sits down with Matt Slimming, CEO of PT Pilot Billing and RCM, to uncover some of the biggest revenue leaks affecting physical therapy practices today.From front-desk collections and insurance verification to denied claims, aging A/R, underbilling, and missed opportunities to properly charge for services, they break down where practices are leaving money on the table and what owners can do to fix it.In this episode, you'll learn:Where some of the biggest revenue leaks happen inside a PT practiceWhy the front desk can be one of the biggest sources of lost revenueHow missed point-of-service collections can dramatically reduce cash flowWhy insurance verification and authorizations are becoming more difficultHow poor insurance verification can lead to major claim lossesWhy some practices can lose thousands of dollars every month from billing issuesHow poor claim follow-up contributes to growing A/RWhy insurance denials and incorrect adjustments deserve closer attentionHow much revenue can potentially be recovered by properly managing unpaid claimsWhy billing KPIs are just as important as treatment KPIsHow outsourcing billing can provide specialized support and consistencyWhy practices may be underbilling for services they are already providingThe importance of billing the correct number of codesHow proper documentation and training can support better billingWhy owners should avoid making billing optimization feel like it's only about making more moneyHow better front-end systems can create faster improvements in revenueWhy closing revenue leaks can significantly improve practice profitabilityThere are still significant opportunities to build a profitable PT practice. The key is identifying where money is leaking, fixing the systems behind those leaks, and consistently tracking the numbers.If you're a private practice owner who wants to improve collections, strengthen your billing systems, and stop leaving revenue on the table, this episode is for you.Want to talk about how we can help you with your PT business, or have a question you want to ask? Book a call with Nathan - https://calendly.com/ptoclub/discoverycallLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://ptoclub.com/

How AI Can Help Negotiate Higher Payer Rates, with Brace Health

2026-10-2738:12

Most private practice owners assume insurance companies won't negotiate. But what if you could increase your reimbursement rates with the right strategy, the right argument, and the right person?In this episode of the Private Practice Owners Club, Nathan Shields sits down with David O'Hara of Brace Health to break down how private practice owners can negotiate better payer rates and stop leaving money on the table.David shares what they've learned from hundreds of payer negotiations, including what payers actually care about, how to build leverage, how AI can identify opportunities, and why finding the right person inside an insurance company can make all the difference.In this episode, you'll learn:Why some practices are successfully getting 5–10%+ rate increasesHow an additional $5 per visit can translate into significant annual revenueWhy the highest-paying payers may actually be more willing to negotiateWhat insurance companies actually care about when negotiating ratesWhy network adequacy can give practices leverageHow to use local market data to strengthen your negotiationHow AI can identify geographic and specialty-specific opportunitiesWhy simply telling payers that your costs have increased may not be enoughWhy you should focus your negotiation on specific rate increasesHow to determine what to ask for in a payer negotiationWhy asking for a larger increase can sometimes be more effectiveHow to find the right network or contracting managerWhy some negotiations require persistent follow-upWhat happened after one practice sent 11 follow-up emailsHow building relationships with payer representatives can improve negotiationsHow successful negotiations can create immediate improvements to your bottom lineWhy negotiating reimbursement rates can also be a form of advocacy for the PT industryWhat practice owners should know before starting the negotiation processPayer negotiations don't have to be complicated or adversarial. With the right strategy, preparation, and persistence, practice owners can create more leverage and potentially improve reimbursement.If you're a private practice owner who wants to stop accepting low reimbursement rates and learn how to approach payer negotiations strategically, this episode is for you.Want to talk about how we can help you with your PT business, or have a question you want to ask? Book a call with Nathan - https://calendly.com/ptoclub/discoverycallLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://ptoclub.com/

Retain Top Talent With Better Clinic Culture

2026-10-1334:09

A profitable practice doesn’t automatically become a great place to work; great culture has to be intentionally built, protected, and reinforced by leadership. In this episode of the Private Practice Owners Club, Adam and Nathan dive into what it really takes to create a practice culture that people actually want to be part of and one that helps attract, develop, and retain great talent. They talk about the difficult side of leadership: bringing energy every day, protecting your values, holding people accountable, having uncomfortable conversations, and making hard decisions when someone is no longer aligned with the culture. In this episode, you'll learn: Why owners can end up hating the practice they createdHow a leader’s energy influences the culture of an organizationWhy purpose and values need to be more than words on a wallWhy protecting your culture sometimes requires difficult decisionsWhy highly productive employees may still be a poor cultural fitHow accountability conversations can strengthen your teamWhy ignoring problems can slowly erode your cultureHow uncomfortable conversations can create stronger teamsHow to create an environment where people can truly be themselvesHow culture can become part of your recruiting strategyWhy compensation and financial growth still matter to employee experienceHow career development can give employees reasons to stayPractical ways to operationalize culture through meetings, recognition, activities, and team eventsHow to establish clear expectations around gossip, rumors, and workplace dramaWhy protecting the standard is part of the leader’s job Culture isn't built through one meeting or one company event. It's built through the daily behaviors, decisions, standards, and conversations that leaders consistently reinforce. If you're a private practice owner trying to build a business that attracts great people, retains talent, and gives you a team you can actually trust—this conversation is for you. Join us at the High-Performance Practice Conference to learn proven systems for growing a stronger private practice. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another private practice owner. Explore more resources from the Private Practice Owners Club:https://linktr.ee/ppoclubWant to talk about how we can help you with your PT business, or have a question you want to ask? Book a call with Nathan - https://calendly.com/ptoclub/discoverycallLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://ptoclub.com/

Why Bonuses Fail To Keep Your Best Therapists, With Jason Wambold Of Prompt Compensation

2026-10-0644:37

Variable Compensation Models: A Better Way to Recruit, Retain & Motivate Therapists How do you compensate therapists in a way that supports productivity, retention, recruitment, autonomy, and practice profitability? In this episode of the Private Practice Owners Club, Nathan Shields sits down with Jason Wanold, VP of Prompt Compensation and former co-founder of Onus One, to revisit variable compensation models and discuss what Jason has learned from years of helping practices implement them. They break down how variable compensation works, why it shouldn't be treated like a bonus or incentive program, and how practices can create compensation structures that give therapists more autonomy and control while still protecting the financial health of the practice. In this episode, you'll learn: What variable compensation actually meansThe difference between base pay and variable payWhy variable compensation is different from bonuses and incentivesWhy units-based compensation can work better than visit-based modelsHow to frame compensation changes so therapists understand the purposeHow to protect quality of care while using variable compensationThe KPIs that can improve under these modelsWhy you can't simply “bonus your way” into better behaviorsHow variable compensation can create more autonomy and flexibility for therapistsThe biggest concerns owners have when introducing these modelsThe most common concerns therapists have about changing compensationHow historical data can reduce fear and uncertaintyWhy practices should consider a 6–12 month transition periodHow compensation models can improve recruitment and retentionWhy standardizing compensation plans can create more transparencyHow therapists can create a path to earning more within the same practiceWhy owners should use financial projections and historical data before implementing a modelThe biggest mistakes practices make when rolling out variable compensation One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that compensation doesn't have to be a battle between what the therapist wants and what the practice can afford. With the right structure, data, transparency, and implementation strategy, it can become a true win-win. The goal isn't simply to pay therapists more. It's to create a compensation model that rewards contribution, gives providers autonomy, supports quality care, and strengthens the practice.Want to talk about how we can help you with your PT business, or have a question you want to ask? Book a call with Nathan - https://calendly.com/ptoclub/discoverycallLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://ptoclub.com/

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