APTA Montana Primary Care Conference: Full Schedule

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8:00am MDT

Pain Doesn't Wait: Urgent Care Physical Therapy as Primary Care PT

Saturday October 10, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am MDT

Urgent care is a well-established entry point into primary care for time-sensitive conditions, yet physical therapy remains underutilized in this role for patients with acute musculoskeletal pain -- one of the most common drivers for patients to seek care. This session introduces an emerging solution: Urgent Care Physical Therapy as a primary care access model for pain. Drawing from military research, private practice pioneers, and rural scale strategies, presenters demonstrate how stepping into a familiar access point for patients -- but a new space for physical therapy -- positions PTs to lead as primary care providers for pain, capture new patient populations, improve outcomes, and reduce unnecessary downstream care.Objectives:

Describe urgent care physical therapy as a primary care PT access model for acute musculoskeletal pain and movement dysfunction
Compare published outcomes from a direct-access military acute spine clinic with private practice urgent care PT implementation strategies
Identify operational, clinical, and systems-level components required to launch or pilot an urgent care PT model
Develop an initial implementation plan for an urgent care PT pathway in their own practice setting

Speakers

Sam Schmidt, PT, MPT, NCPI

Sam Schmidt, PT, MPT, NCPI is a physical therapist, business owner, educator, and healthcare advocate with over 20 years of experience advancing innovative care models at the intersection of clinical practice, business leadership, and public policy. She is co-owner of Alpine Physical... Read More →

Saturday October 10, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am MDT

Breakout Sessions

8:00am MDT

Primary Care PT - Building Health & Wellness in the Working Population

Saturday October 10, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am MDT

Drawing on the clinical expertise and problem‑solving skills of physical therapists, this session outlines how recent policy changes in Montana create expanded opportunities for both cash‑based services and more efficient rehabilitation within the workers' compensation system. Attendees will learn how to leverage their full scope of practice to deliver timely, high‑value care, reduce administrative delays, and support faster recovery for injured workers. The session highlights practical strategies for integrating cash‑based offerings, optimizing care pathways under work comp, and strengthening PT‑led solutions that benefit workers, employers, and the broader healthcare system.

Learning Objectives:
1. Define the value of primary care physical therapy in workplace health
2. Examine the 2025 Montana legislative update
3. Connect policy to practical impact
4. Demonstrate how to construct and use a functional job description, culminating in a practical exercise to solidify skills.
5. Equip attendees with practical strategies for integrating PT‑led primary care in the work setting.

Speakers

Lorena Pettet Payne, PT, MPA, OCS

Lorena has practiced physical therapy since 1983, with extensive experience across work sites, clinical settings, higher education, and policy advocacy. Her career includes decades of advancing safe, evidence‑based care for workers and championing legislative and regulatory improvements... Read More →

Saturday October 10, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am MDT

Breakout Sessions

12:40pm MDT

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Physical Therapy

Saturday October 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm MDT

Introductory session to answer many common questions related to getting started in MSKUS- diagnostic/therapeutic uses of diagnostic ultrasound, cases demonstrating how diagnostic ultrasound can be utilized in physical therapy practice, device options, and training options.

Learning Objectives:
1. Learn several common applications of diagnostic ultrasound in physical therapy practice
2. Know the basics of reading an ultrasound image
3. Learn cost effective options for diagnostic ultrasound equipment
4. Brief overview of available training programs and certifications for physical therapists
5. Gain understanding of the value of diagnostic ultrasound in physical therapy practice

About the Speaker:
Ross is a physical therapist based in Plains Montana where he lives with his wife and son. He has been using diagnostic ultrasound for five years and has been registered in musculoskeletal sonography for over three years. He utilizes diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound daily in the clinic for diagnostics, needle guidance, and to monitor treatment effects.

Speakers

Ross Eckstein, PT, DPT, OCS, RMSK, CSCS

Ross is a physical therapist based in Plains Montana where he lives with his wife and son. He has been using diagnostic ultrasound for five years and has been registered in musculoskeletal sonography for over three years. He utilizes diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound daily in... Read More →

Saturday October 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm MDT

Breakout Sessions

12:40pm MDT

Primary Care Physical Therapy: Building Direct Access Pathways for Pain and Movement Health

Saturday October 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm MDT

Musculoskeletal pain is one of the most common reasons patients seek care, yet access to timely, appropriate treatment remains inconsistent. As healthcare systems evolve toward value-based and primary caredriven models, physical therapists are uniquely positioned to serve as first-contact providers for pain and movement-related conditions. However, many practices continue to operate within traditional referral-based and episodic care models that limit access and delay intervention.

This session explores the role of physical therapy as a primary care entry point and outlines practical strategies to improve access, reduce unnecessary healthcare utilization, and enhance patient outcomes. Emphasis will be placed on direct access models, early intervention, and integrating physical therapy into broader primary care pathways.

Participants will gain insight into emerging care models, communication strategies for positioning PT as a primary care provider, and operational considerations for implementing direct access services. Real-world examples and case-based discussion will support application across a variety of practice settings, including outpatient clinics, rural health systems, and employer-based care environments.

Learning Objectives:1. Describe the role of physical therapy as a primary care provider for musculoskeletal pain and movement health.
2. Explain how early access to physical therapy impacts patient outcomes and healthcare utilization.
3. Identify barriers to implementing direct access primary care PT models and strategies to address them.
4. Develop practical approaches to improve patient access and integrate PT into primary care pathways.

Speakers

Ty Barrett

Ty Barrett is CEO of Western Rehabilitation Health Network. Western Rehabilitation Health Network is a messenger model IPA network of independent physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists providing rehabilitation services throughout Utah and Idaho... Read More →

Saturday October 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm MDT

Breakout Sessions

4:00pm MDT

Sports Nutrition Strategies for Injury Prevention

Saturday October 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT

We'll discuss the prevalence of low energy availability among high school and collegiate athletes and how that could be contributing to the rise of soft tissue injuries. We'll differentiate between nutrition for health and nutrition for sport and then review sports nutrition recommendations to fuel exercise and competition along with tips to help encourage athletes to fuel better overall.
The audience will gain a better understanding of sports nutrition recommendations and can better help their patients, themselves, and their children to adequately fuel for sport and decrease risk of injury.
We'll briefly touch on nutrition recommendations appropriate for ACL repair recovery.

Objectives:

Understand the difference between nutrition for health and nutrition for sport.
Understand how low energy availability puts athletes at a higher risk for injury.
Identify which foods properly fuel exercise.
Learn the basic nutrient timing strategies for before, during, and after exercise.
Identify which supplements are appropriate for recovery for ACL repair.

Speakers

Tiffany Ricci, RDN, CSSD, LD

Saturday October 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT

Breakout Sessions

4:00pm MDT

Primary Care PT: Learning from Amazon to Build Membership-Based Care Models

Saturday October 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm MDT

TBA

Saturday October 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm MDT

Breakout Sessions

5:00pm MDT

Eating Disorders: Collaborative Management of a Disease in Hiding

Saturday October 10, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm MDT

TBA

Speakers

Caitlin Martin-Wagar

Taylor Penwell, M.A.

Taylor received her Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors from Ohio University in 2019 where she majored in Psychology and minored in Biological Sciences. Taylor worked as the Clinical Research Coordinator for The Renfrew Center and then a Research Coordinator at the University... Read More →

Saturday October 10, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm MDT

Breakout Sessions

8:00am MDT

8:00am MDT

12:40pm MDT

12:40pm MDT

4:00pm MDT

4:00pm MDT

5:00pm MDT

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