Why Hiring More Physiotherapists Could Be Draining Your Profits—and How to Fix It

Many clinic owners make the mistake of thinking that adding more physiotherapists will automatically lead to higher revenue and profit. However, without proper onboarding and training, bringing in new staff can actually drain your clinic’s profit margins and increase your workload. Without the right systems in place, you may end up working more hours, just to maintain the same profitability.

In this blog post, I’ll show you how to train your new grad physiotherapists effectively, without the need to work 60+ hours a week, and—most importantly—how to protect your clinic’s profit margin while still providing top-quality care.

Dave O’Sullivan: Expert in Physiotherapy Hiring and Onboarding

Hi, I’m Dave O’Sullivan. I’ve worked in international sports physiotherapy for over 17 years. I run a multi-therapist clinic in Huddersfield, UK, which I built from the ground up. I’ve also had the opportunity to work in Australia and Japan, where I’ve been involved in the hiring and onboarding process of therapists while being on the other side of the world.

Through mentoring over 1,500 therapists globally, I’ve developed a keen ability to identify highly coachable physiotherapists and spot those who may not be the right fit for your clinic. In this blog, I’ll show you how to make sure you’re not just increasing revenue when you hire new therapists, but also increasing your profit.

The Hidden Costs of Hiring and Training New Physiotherapists

The hiring process might seem straightforward, but in a private practice setting, without a structured onboarding system, clinic owners often fail to see the hidden costs. These include the time and money you’ll need to spend training, mentoring, and monitoring your new hire’s progress.

1. The Cost of Building a Physiotherapy Onboarding System

Developing an effective onboarding process is essential for ensuring that each new physical therapist gets up to speed quickly and is able to generate profit ethically. However, creating and refining this system can be time-consuming and costly. In my clinic, it took me 10 years to develop our current Go-To Therapist Onboarding System.

If you’re just starting, it could take you months to establish a similar system—and that’s valuable time you could spend generating revenue.

2. The Financial Impact of 1:1 Mentoring for New Physiotherapists

Mentoring is a critical part of the onboarding process. But this doesn’t come without a cost. If you want to train new hires properly, you need to dedicate one-to-one mentoring time. For example, over the first six weeks, we typically spend around 24 hours mentoring a new grad.

If you, as a clinic owner, charge £100 an hour, that’s £2,400 of lost revenue that could’ve been generated during that time. It’s important to factor in this cost when hiring new physiotherapists. Without proper planning, this investment can quickly eat into the profitability of your physical therapy practice, especially if multiple new grads are being onboarded at once.

3. Lost Revenue from Tracking and Oversight of New Hires

It’s not just about mentoring—tracking your new hires’ performance and ensuring they’re on the right path also requires time. If you’re spending around 12 hours over 90 days tracking the progress of a new therapist, that’s an additional £1,200 of lost revenue.

4. Ongoing Case Support: Additional Costs to Consider

On top of the initial mentoring, ongoing case support and troubleshooting take up valuable time. Over the course of 90 days, you may spend 30 hours providing ongoing support to your new hire. When you factor in these additional hours, it adds up quickly.

What Happens When Your New Grad Physiotherapists Don’t Hit Performance Targets?

If your new hires aren’t reaching performance targets—such as initial assessment rebook rates, patient cancellations, and patient visit averages—it can lead to significant financial losses. For instance, if your new grad has a rebook rate of only 70%, that means 3 out of every 10 patients won’t return for follow-up sessions.

This often stems from poor delivery of a clear treatment plan. If patients aren’t committed to the plan, they’re less likely to return—hurting both revenue and profit margins. The performance targets your new grad need to meet are crucial for the clinic’s success, and failing to hit those targets can have long-lasting financial implications.

The Financial Losses from Low Rebook Rates and Patient Cancellations

Let’s say your new therapist has a cancellation rate of 15% and a patient visit average of just 3-4. Compared to a head physio with a rebook rate of 90% and a lower cancellation rate, the difference in revenue generation can be staggering.

If your new grad doesn’t hit head physio targets, you could be missing out on an additional £18,000 in revenue for every 100 patients treated. If the rate is even higher, say £100 per session, that loss increases to £36,000 in potential revenue.

How to Protect Your Clinic’s Profit Margins When Hiring a New Physiotherapist

The key to protecting your clinic’s profit margins when hiring new physiotherapists is effective onboarding. You need to ensure that every new team member is trained to generate revenue quickly and efficiently. By implementing an onboarding process that includes rigorous training, mentorship, and ongoing support, you can ensure your new hires are contributing to the clinic’s bottom line from the start. Additionally, it’s crucial that new physiotherapists understand how to work with patients effectively and align with your clinic culture, so they can integrate seamlessly into your team and provide exceptional care while driving profits.

The Solution: A Proven Physiotherapy Onboarding System That Drives Profit

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. I’ve spent 10 years developing an onboarding process that ensures new hires become profitable quickly. Our Go-To Therapist Mentorship Program is a six-week intensive onboarding system that’s designed to get new physiotherapists up to head physio standards in record time, while also focusing on their professional development to ensure long-term success.

How Our Go-To Therapist Mentorship Program Helps You Build a Profitable Team

This program is a proven solution that takes new hires from being inexperienced to generating substantial revenue for your clinic. By the end of six weeks, your new grad should be hitting critical performance metrics:

• Initial Assessment Rebook Rate: 90%

• Package Conversion Rate: 50%

• Cancellation/Did Not Rebook Rate: <8%

• Patient Visit Average (PVA): 6+ sessions

By implementing this proven system, you can ensure that your new hires contribute positively to your clinic’s profit margins and take the pressure off your schedule.

Download Our Full Physiotherapy Onboarding System for Free

Want to implement a similar system in your clinic? You can get a copy of our full onboarding process! Simply send a message on Instagram or LinkedIn (Dave O’Sullivan Physio), and I’ll be happy to share the details with you.

Conclusion: Why Optimising Your Onboarding Process Leads to Greater Clinic Success

Hiring new physiotherapists doesn’t have to drain your profit margins. By optimising your onboarding process, investing time in mentoring, and tracking your hires’ progress, you can ensure that your new grads regardless of their physiotherapy degree or qualification, become highly skilled and profitable team members.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to hire more staff—it’s to create a sustainable, profitable business that runs smoothly and generates revenue without overworking yourself. By focusing on the right metrics, building the right systems, and using data-driven decisions, you can protect your profit margins and set your clinic up for long-term success.

I hope this post gives you some valuable insights into the reality of hiring new physiotherapists and how to ensure that your clinic remains profitable while providing great patient care. If you have any questions or want to learn more, feel free to reach out!

If you want to learn more about how to attract the right therapists for your clinic, check out my other blog post where I dive deeper into effective recruitment strategies to help you build a high-performing team.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I train new grad physiotherapists without working extra hours?

Training new physiotherapists doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your time or working extra hours. By implementing a proven physiotherapy onboarding system like our Go-To Therapist Mentorship Program, you can get new grads up to head physio standards in just six weeks. This allows you to scale your clinic without having to overwork yourself or compromise on the quality of care provided.

3. What are the hidden costs of onboarding new physiotherapists?

Onboarding new physiotherapists can be a costly process if you don’t have a clear system in place. Hidden costs include time spent on mentoring, tracking performance, and providing ongoing support. In this post, I break down how these costs can add up and why investing in an efficient onboarding process is crucial for protecting your clinic’s profitability.

4. How can I ensure my new physiotherapists hit performance targets and generate revenue quickly?

Ensuring new physiotherapists hit performance targets such as rebook rates, package conversions, and patient visit averages is key to protecting your clinic’s profit margins. By providing structured mentoring, ongoing support, and clear performance expectations, you can help new hires become profitable much faster. Our Go-To Therapist Mentorship Program is designed to get new grads performing at head physio level in just six weeks.