In this episode of What's Best For The Patient Is Best For The Business, Jerry sits down with CJ, founder of CJM Strategic Consulting, for a deep dive into the intersection of AI, technology, and physical therapy practice. Recording in late November 2025, fresh off PPS (which looked more like a tech conference than ever before), this conversation tackles the most pressing questions facing PTs today: Where does AI fit? What's our role? And how do we become architects of the future rather than replaceable cogs in the system? CJ brings a unique perspective—starting her career at Johnson & Johnson in quality engineering and operations, then transitioning to PT, working through digital health at Hinge Health, and now consulting with healthcare tech startups. She's seen both sides: the promise of technology and the reality of implementation without clinical empathy. This isn't a conversation about AI taking jobs. It's about PTs stepping up to train the systems, becoming context experts rather than task experts, and recognizing that in November 2025, AI needs us more than we need it. From ambient listening technology to benefit verification to documentation, Jerry and CJ explore why reviewing AI outputs isn't busywork—it's building the architecture for the entire profession's future. Key topics include: the human-in-the-loop vs. human-on-the-loop distinction, why documentation quality matters more than ever, how to add value to AI platforms, the risk of automation bias and deskilling, why coordination beats siloed care, and how one team member got a massive raise by managing their AI model effectively. If you're wondering where you fit in this tech-enabled future, this conversation will give you clarity—and a call to action. Key Takeaways- AI Needs Us More Than We Need It (November 2025): Right now, AI systems need expert clinicians to train them, correct them, and build the architecture for future improvements. This is our opportunity to shape these tools rather than let them shape us—but that window won't last forever. - You're Not Reviewing Notes—You're Building Systems: When you review AI-generated documentation, you're not just checking for accuracy. You're teaching the system what matters, how to think like a PT, and creating the foundation for better care delivery across the entire profession. - From Task Expert to Context Expert: The future of PT isn't about getting faster at individual tasks—it's about becoming context experts who understand the bigger picture. This shift from fragmented task completion to systems thinking is what will separate thriving practices from struggling ones. - Documentation Will Finally Reflect Reality: For decades, we've documented to get paid, not to show our value. Ambient listening and AI documentation tools are changing that—capturing education, clinical decision-making, and the full scope of what we do. This will change billing patterns and prove our worth. - Reskilling Is Really Re-Evaluating: You don't need to learn entirely new skills—you need to re-evaluate how you apply your existing expertise. The electrician doesn't become a mason; they become a systems architect who understands how electrical work fits into the whole building. - Embrace the Stairs in the Age of Escalators: Technology offers automation, but we must actively choose to maintain our clinical reasoning skills. Just as we tell patients to take the stairs for physical health, we must "take the stairs" mentally—continuing to think critically even when AI offers easier paths.
