PRIVATE PRACTICE - AC23 - Digital MSK - a Blockbuster Moment for PT or the Beginning of a New Era?

Zachary Walston, PT, DPT is a board-certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy, and he currently serves as the national director of quality and research and orthopedic residency program coordinator for PT Solutions Physical Therapy. He earned his BS in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, his Doctor of Physical Therapy from Emory University, and is a graduate of PT Solution’s Orthopaedic Residency Program.

Dr. Walston lectures nationally and publishes research specific to orthopedic physical therapy. He develops and teaches weekend continuing education courses in the areas of plan of care development, exercise prescription, pain science, and nutrition.

Dr. Walston is an active member of the Orthopedic and Research sections of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia. He is the recipient of the 2020 APTA GA Chapter Emerging Leader Award. He is an APTA Centennial Scholar, representing the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy. He currently serves as treasurer for APTA GA, on the APTA Science and Practice Affairs Committee, and within the RM Barney Poole Leadership Academy. He is also the host of the Clinical Gap Podcast.

Scott Hebert is a serial entrepreneur, innovator, and respected leader in the field of PT. Holding a doctorate in physical therapy from Quinnipiac University in CT, he carries with him a deep commitment to revolutionizing patient care and the business of Physical Therapy.

Scott is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Second Door Health, a groundbreaking direct care platform that liberates practices from traditional insurance-only models of reimbursement and fosters a direct link between practices and local employers and consumers.

Prior to Second Door, Scott co-founded and served as CEO of Strive Labs, the PT industry's leading Patient Relationship Management system, a tool used by 1 in 3 physical therapy clinics in the U.S. and over 20 million patients nationwide. Strive Labs was acquired by WebPT in 2017. While at WebPT, Scott was responsible for launching numerous high-impact products, including WebPT Reach, WebPT HEP, WebPT Local, WebPT Virtual Visits, and WebPT Digital Patient Intake.

Ellen Morello, PT, DPT, is a pioneer in the field of virtual physical therapy and direct care. Ellen earned her B.S. in Physiology and Neurobiology from the University of Connecticut and a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from New York Medical College. Ellen was awarded a full scholarship through the New York City Department of Education during her academic journey.

Ellen was an early employee of Physera, a venture-backed, virtual-only physical therapy company, which was later acquired by Omada Health. At Physera, Ellen played a vital role in building the first nationwide network of fully virtual physical therapists. After Physera, Ellen built out the virtual PT Program for Nice Healthcare, a Direct Primary Care practice.

Ellen holds the position of Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder at Second Door Health, a cutting-edge software platform that powers Direct Care for PT Practices. She is a member of the APTA FiRST Council Steering Committee. Ellen has been invited to speak on the topic of Virtual Physical Therapy for numerous esteemed organizations, including APTA, ACRM, ATA, and more. Audiences can expect to gain valuable insights and practical strategies for leveraging technology and direct care to improve patient outcomes.