PT clinic deals at a glance
- Typical buyers
- Regional and national therapy groups, private equity backed platforms, hospital systems and therapist owners expanding
- What lifts the price
- Diverse referral sources, a healthy payer mix, therapists under agreements, more than one location
- What pulls it down
- Referrals from one physician group, an owner who carries the largest caseload, billing backlogs
- Paperwork buyers ask for
- Visits per week by therapist, payer mix and reimbursement rates, credentialing files, staff agreements
- Watch for
- Payer contracts that need consent to assign
Referral Sources Drive Value
Buyers will ask where your patients come from. A clinic with referrals from many physicians, employers and direct access patients is worth more than one that depends on a single orthopedic group.
Track referrals by source for at least two years. If you have relationships with sports teams, schools or employers, document them.
Payer Mix and Reimbursement
A buyer will review how much of your revenue comes from commercial insurance, Medicare, workers' compensation through L&I, and cash pay. Each pays differently, and each has its own paperwork burden.
Clean billing with low days in receivables tells a buyer the front office works. A billing backlog does the opposite.
Therapists Stay or the Deal Weakens
The biggest risk a buyer sees is therapists leaving after the sale. If you carry the largest caseload yourself, expect the buyer to want you to stay on for a period, often with part of the price tied to results.
Clinics where associate therapists carry the load, and have reasons to stay, sell faster and for more.
Who Buys PT Clinics Around Seattle
Regional and national therapy groups buy clinics to fill gaps on their maps. Private equity backed platforms buy clinics with strong margins and room to add locations. Some therapist owners buy nearby clinics to expand.
Large groups often pay part of the price later, based on results after closing. Know how that would work before you compare offers.
Clean Up Before You Go to Market
Reduce old receivables, confirm every therapist's license and credentialing is current, and put staff agreements in writing. Each of these removes a reason for a buyer to lower an offer.
Credentialing and Contracts
Insurance contracts and provider credentialing don't always transfer automatically. In an asset sale, the buyer may need new contracts, which affects cash flow during the transition.
Your L&I and ESD accounts also need attention at closing, since you are both an employer and an L&I provider.
To see what your clinic may be worth, read our valuation basics, then use the price check form or call (206) 555-0171.