In May, ATI Physical Therapy will celebrate 30 years in the healthcare industry. What has grown into a national practice offering a broad range of services began as a clinical practice based on treating the injured worker. To this day, ATI honors its roots by continuing its workers’ compensation and work hardening programs.

One recent success story comes from our Washington market, where a patient came in for rotator cuff repair physical therapy at our Gig Harbor clinic, followed by Work Hardening in Tacoma.

“The patient’s progress was not always linear,” Multisite Clinic Director Catch Hurst said, “but our team’s ability to think outside the box pushed him and provided a seamless transition to the work hardening program.”

On his first day back to work, the patient, who works as a delivery driver, completed 120 stops and delivered 147 packages. He then took the time to reach out to the ATI team with a recap of his day: “Today was a heavy day… but all that PT and WC made it easy to crush it. I have such gratitude to you all. “

“At first glance, it may sound like a simple story: an injured worker receives physical therapy and returns to work,” said Lucas Myers, Vice President of Commercial and Ops Implementation, who oversees ATI’s Workers’ Compensation division. “But this patient’s recovery was anything but simple. It involved weeks of dedicated treatment, personalized care, and a tailored plan designed specifically for the patient’s successful return to full and unrestricted work. It’s a powerful example of what happens when expert clinical guidance and true patient commitment come together to drive exceptional outcomes.”

“For any patient, it’s rewarding to see someone finish their plan of care successfully,” David Ensign, Director, Case Management, added. “For the injured worker, it’s even more gratifying because you’ve helped someone regain their ability to earn a living and to provide for themselves and their families.”