National Physical Therapy Month, supported by HPSO, is in full swing, which means it's the perfect time to show your pride in the profession and raise awareness of the true value physical therapy brings to patients, the health care system, and society.
Need some inspiration? APTA's expanded Public Relations and Marketing Center has you covered. It's a one-stop source for everything National Physical Therapy Month, from online meeting backgrounds and condition-specific handouts to access to apparel and other swag that makes a statement, all professionally designed to align with with ChoosePT, ATPA's consumer-focused brand and consumer information website, ChoosePT.com.
This year, in addition to calling attention to National Physical Therapy month, APTA is offering resources that help you share the findings from the association's groundbreaking report, "The Economic Value of Physical Therapy in the United States." It's a must-read evidence-based economic analysis that shows how physical therapist interventions result in cost savings for eight common conditions.
Long story short: There's a lot to celebrate this year. Here are six easy ways you can join in.
1. Step Up Your Social Media Game
The center offers multiple social media graphics that you can use in conjunction with your own posts. Choose from graphics related to the economic report, those designed to help you show your professional pride during National Physical Therapy Month, and others available to help you promote the benefits of physical therapy anytime. Or do it all — you can download as many as you want. And while you're at it, why not download custom-made digital backgrounds that you can use in virtual meetings?
2. Have Information on Hand, in Hand
Handouts are a great resource — they provide something tangible that patients, community members, policymakers, and others can take with them. In addition to individual handouts (some in Spanish) that explain the PT's role in addressing a variety of conditions and patient needs, the center also offers handouts that dive into each of the eight conditions highlighted in "The Economic Value of Physical Therapy in the United States."
3. Get Your Name in Print
After reading up on the economic value report, it's natural to want to spread the word. The center makes that easy as well, thanks to a templated op-ed article that calls attention to the report and allows you to customize your piece to the specific APTA chapter, legislation, or issue you want to highlight. Just fill in your information and send to local media.
4. Let Videos Tell the Story
APTA has a growing collection of short videos aimed at consumers that highlight the profession, including a recently produced video (in two lengths: four minutes and another 60-second version) that explains the basics of physical therapy and what PTs do, as well as an animated video focused on the economic value report. You can also download and share the public service announcements APTA produced in 2021 and 2023.
5. Leverage the Brand Strength of APTA by Adding Your Logo
Wouldn’t it be nice if your patients and clients — and potential patients and clients in your area — could see that the message is also coming from you and your practice? APTA is making it easier to do that, too. Now you can add your logo and contact information to select downloadable or printable ChoosePT resources (more coming soon) available in APTA’s Co-Branding Portal, available from a link in the center.
6. Look the Part
The APTA Public Relations and Marketing Center offers a link to a special area of the APTA online store featuring ChoosePT and National Physical Therapy Month gear: T-shirts, of course, but also pullovers, cups, tumblers, pens, stickers, and more — because nothing says "ChoosePT" like something that says "ChoosePT."