Full episode note: https://rehabupracticesolutions.com/better-outcomes-168

Podcast: https://www.betteroutcomes.show
Get a Book:

• "Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare": https://amzn.to/3M2UZ6x
• "From Clinician to Something More": https://amzn.to/4fpx69T
• "From Clinician to Owner": https://amzn.to/4u7fFOZ

Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/rehabu/discovery
Connect with Me: https://www.rafisalazar.com

168: Don’t Let Go of the Vine Too Early
Patience, Career Pivots, & Strategic Transitions in Healthcare

What do you do when the career you worked so hard for turns out to be nothing like you expected?

In this episode of The Better Outcomes Show, I share a story from early in my career that completely changed how I think about work, leadership, career transitions, and difficult seasons. Only weeks into my first “real” clinical job after graduation, I found myself trapped in an unhealthy work environment, questioning my career choice, and seriously considering walking away entirely.

Then my dad asked me a strange question in a Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot:
“Do you know why Tarzan never fell out of the sky when he was swinging through the trees?”

That conversation became one of the most important professional lessons I’ve ever learned.

In this episode, we explore the difference between being stuck and being strategic, why emotional decisions can derail long-term growth, and how patience—when used correctly—is not weakness, but positioning.

In This Episode, We Discuss:
-The reality shock many healthcare professionals experience early in their careers
-How toxic environments can distort your perception of an entire profession
-Ethical pressure, workplace culture, and maintaining professional integrity
-Why emotional career decisions often create unnecessary instability
-The difference between patience and passivity
-Strategic career pivots vs reactive exits
-How difficult seasons can unexpectedly prepare you for future opportunities
-Why some of the most important career growth happens quietly behind the scenes

Key Takeaway:
Not every hard situation needs an immediate escape plan.
Sometimes the better move is enduring it long enough to position yourself for something better.

If you'd like to learn more about Strata EMR & RCM and achieving a 99.99% reimbursement rate for your PT, OT, or SLP Clinic head over to stratapt.com and book a demo with their team!

What's one thing that you think was missing from your clinical education?

That's the question I got asked on a recent speaking engagement. We were covering the topics of clinical education, professional development, and growth into leadership roles within healthcare. Most clinicians graduate knowing how to treat patients. Very few graduate understanding the business systems that make patient care possible.

After speaking with students and faculty at Bowling Green State University, one question kept surfacing:

“What do you wish you had known coming out of school?”

The answer wasn’t another certification, clinical framework, or specialty area.

It was business literacy.

In this episode, we explore the hidden curriculum of healthcare — the financial, operational, and strategic realities that shape modern clinical practice but are rarely taught in OT or healthcare programs. Because whether you plan to own a practice, lead a team, negotiate compensation, or simply understand why healthcare organizations make the decisions they do, understanding the business side of healthcare changes everything.

The clinicians who advance aren’t just clinically skilled.
They understand the system they operate inside of.

What we cover in this episode:

-Why clinical excellence is not enough
-The gap between clinical education and real-world practices
-Why business literacy matters even if you never plan to own a practice
-The financial engine driving the healthcare industry (in the US)
-The future of healthcare reimbursement and delivery
-Viewing your clinical education as the foundation, not the ceiling.

Full episode note: https://rehabupracticesolutions.com/better-outcomes-167

Podcast: https://www.betteroutcomes.show
Get the Book: https://amzn.to/3M2UZ6x
Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/rehabu/discovery
Connect with Me: https://www.rafisalazar.com

If you'd like to learn more about Strata EMR & RCM and achieving a 99.99% reimbursement rate for your PT, OT, or SLP Clinic head over to stratapt.com and book a demo with their team!

The Battle for MSK Care Is Already Underway

Musculoskeletal care is quietly becoming one of the most important battlegrounds in healthcare.
MSK conditions affect over 120 million Americans, account for roughly $420 billion in annual healthcare spending, and remain the leading cause of disability worldwide.
And because of that, nearly every major stakeholder in healthcare is moving into this space.
Digital health companies.
Employers.
Payers.
Orthopedic groups.
Health systems.
Wearable tech companies.
They’re all competing for one thing:
Control of the musculoskeletal patient relationship.
Because whoever controls the entry point into MSK care often controls everything that follows—from imaging and therapy to injections, surgery, and long-term outcomes.
In this episode, we take a step back and look at what’s really happening in the MSK space—and why this moment represents more than just innovation. It represents a fundamental shift in how care is delivered.

What we cover in this Episode:
-Why Musculoskeletal Care Has Become a $420B Healthcare Category
MSK is one of the largest drivers of healthcare spending, disability, and lost productivity in the United States.
-Why the Current MSK System Is So Fragmented
How disconnected care pathways create inefficiencies—and opportunities for disruption.
-The 4 Competing Models of MSK Care
Procedure-centric, therapy-centric, digital-first, and hybrid care models—and how they’re competing for control of the patient journey.
-Why Policy and Payment Models Are Beginning to Shift
How CMS initiatives like the ACCESS model and the expansion of RTM are beginning to support more coordinated, longitudinal care.
-Why Technology Alone Won’t Solve the Problem
The role of clinicians in guiding movement, behavior change, and long-term capacity building.
-Why the Future of MSK Care Will Likely Be Hybrid
How digital tools and clinical expertise are coming together to reshape care delivery.

Full episode note: https://rehabupracticesolutions.com/better-outcomes-166

Podcast: https://www.betteroutcomes.show
Get the Book: https://amzn.to/3M2UZ6x
Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/rehabu/discovery
Connect with Me: https://www.rafisalazar.com

If you'd like to learn more about Strata EMR & RCM and achieving a 99.99% reimbursement rate for your PT, OT, or SLP Clinic head over to stratapt.com and book a demo with their team!