How to Build a Thriving Emergency Department Physical Therapist Practice


Build, Enhance, or Grow Your Practice

This 2-day, in-person course will prepare you to create a thriving Emergency Department Physical Therapist practice whether you are working from the ground up or enhancing your current program.

What you will get:

  • Systematic Approach to beginning or enhancing your program. Includes a toolkit to implement.
  • Access to experts in the field. Bring your questions.
  • Bonus. We’ll include a copy of the book, Top of Scope – The Emergency Department Physical Therapist Handbook

Approved for 16 CEUs in 40+ states. Click here to see if it is accredited in your state.

Course Description

This course will prepare you to create, maintain, and grow a thriving physical therapist practice in the Emergency Department. This course is perfect for physical therapists or department administrators who are ready to undertake a quality improvement initiative or expand their clinical practice. Physical therapist practice in the Emergency Department is shown to reduce utilization of imaging, time spent in the ED, use of opioid prescribing, and increase patient and provider satisfaction. Our course prepares you, step by step to bring these benefits to your organization using a systematic approach.

Course Objectives

Attendees will demonstrate:

  • Understanding of background and history of ED PT practice.
  • Understanding of difference between Emergency PT practice and Emergency Department PT practice.
  • Ability to utilize data trends to build an ED PT practice.
  • Understanding of models of ED PT practice.
  • Understanding of skill sets needed for successful ED PT practice.
  • Understanding of ED team members and dynamics.
  • Understanding of the role of the PT in the ED.
  • Troubleshooting strategies for program development.

Cost $695.

CEU Credentialing information here:
This course is subcontracted to Redefine Health Education. RHE is a registered CE approval agency of the PT Board of California, a rule-approved CE provider of the PT Board of Florida (#50-32784), a licensed CE sponsor of physical therapy continuing education by the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR #216.000360), an approved CE provider of the PT Board of New Mexico, an approved CE provider of the PT Board of Oklahoma (#BAP202310010) and recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Physical Therapy as an approved sponsor of PT/PTA continuing education. In addition to the aforementioned jurisdictions, courses approved by other state boards & APTA chapters will be accepted for licensure credit in all the jurisdictions listed on this webpage, pursuant to regulation: www.redefinehealthed.com/ceuinfo. If you have a specific question about CE credit for this course in your state, please direct your inquiry including the course title in which you are interested, to info@redefinehealthed.com.

Course Logistics

Friday, November 8th-Saturday, November 9th

Duke University

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Eastern

What Past Participants are Saying


“I’d travel anywhere for this level of teaching and materials! Great course with great instructors!”
“Cases were awesome & entire talk was super engaging and promoted the interaction to allow for thoughtful problem-solving. Will highly recommend.”

Register Here!



Course Instructor Bios

Dr. Rebekah Griffith, The ED DPT, specializes in care in the Emergency Department. Dr. Griffith believes physical therapist practice in the Emergency Department is a critical way to move upstream in healthcare that supports patients during their most critical moments. Dr. Griffith has been an invited lecturer, regular presenter, podcast guest, & article contributor on this topic. Additionally, she was instrumental in passing two motions within the APTA House of Delegates in support of Emergency Physical Therapist practice and is a founding member of the Emergency PT Steering Committee within the Academy of Acute Care. She is a board certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist and a Fellow in Training at Regis University. She is most proud of being a mother of three. Her spare time is spent actively enjoying the outdoors of Colorado and reading as many books as possible.

Dr. Sarah Nechvatal graduated from the University of Iowa with her DPT in Dec 2006. Dr. Nechvatal started as a new graduate at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, WI. There, she established the ED PT consultation service 2010 and worked there until 2022. She also worked at UnityPoint Health-Meriter Hospital where she was one of the Emergency PTs. She worked as a per diem PT at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and American Family Children’s Hospital since 2011. She now works at UW Hospital full-time as a part of the Emergency PT team. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Nechvatal leads the APTA Wisconsin Early Access PT Committee which strives to make early access to PT in all settings the standard in Wisconsin. She also serves as vice-chair of the National Society of Emergency Physical Therapists.



Hosted by Duke University

Durham, North Carolina

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