Understanding Therapeutic Alliance and Patient Expectations

Presented by Craig Phifer

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Video Runtime: 38 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 18 Minutes

The biggest outcome issue in physical therapy is that most patients drop out of care, and almost no one has addressed content toward this significant issue. Through this intermediate-level course, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and athletic trainers will improve their understanding of patients and their communication with them. As a result, they will see fewer drop-offs and see improved clinical results. In a larger scope, this content will improve the patient experience across the industry and drive improvements in outcomes, reputation, and payment.

Meet your instructor

Craig Phifer

Craig is an owner and the CEO of Rehabilitation & Performance Institute, a private practice with offices in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. Craig believes that high-quality personalized care, professional flexibility, and profits can all exist together. He recognizes this approach empowers both therapists and patients. Craig…

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Chapters & learning objectives

What Is Therapeutic Alliance, and Why Does It Matter?

1. What Is Therapeutic Alliance, and Why Does It Matter?

Clinicians will gain an understanding of what therapeutic alliance is and why it matters—on an individual patient level, on a community level, and for our entire profession. Therapeutic alliance has the power to improve nearly every meaningful outcome for patients.

Components and Impact of a Positive Patient–Therapist Relationship

2. Components and Impact of a Positive Patient–Therapist Relationship

In order to be ready to deliver service to patients in a way that creates therapeutic alliance, we must understand how to present ourselves. In this chapter, the four components of the therapeutic relationship are discussed, and examples are presented of how we achieve them and where we may fall short.

Understanding Patient Expectations and How They Shape the Experience

3. Understanding Patient Expectations and How They Shape the Experience

Expectations are incredibly powerful in determining how an experience is perceived. In order to deliver an experience our patients value, we must understand the expectations they have when entering our care.

Therapeutic Alliance Throughout the Course of Care

4. Therapeutic Alliance Throughout the Course of Care

To fully understand the impact of therapeutic alliance, we must understand how it is developed throughout the course of care. When we understand the points at which we have mutual trust with our patients, we can then go about challenging unhealthy beliefs and habits and helping our patients build better ones.