CEO Update

The Currency of Communication

For much of APTA's history, communication has been the currency with which APTA shares information and connects its community. We have facilitated the dissemination of knowledge from research and practice standards. We have engaged our membership in advocating for public policies that reflect our education and competencies, as well as the value physical therapists and physical therapist assistants provide to improving health. And we have connected our members to their professional community through stories of impact and inspiration.

Although the importance of communication remains, the value of this currency is changing rapidly in a society that has unlimited access to information, new tools to aggregate and leverage it, and fewer barriers from cost to creation.

So what does APTA bring to the table in this shifting landscape? In short, we add value in this world of unlimited and unfettered information by translating its noise to meaning, connecting its purpose to its people, and building trust among what can be divergent and differing perspectives.

APTA Magazine has been a flagship of our communication efforts since the mid-1990s. This issue demonstrates the value of our currency in communication across its pages, including:

• An introduction to APTA's primary spokesperson and communicator — our newly elected President Kyle Covington, PT, DPT, PhD. Kyle is the first APTA president to enter the profession as a doctor of physical therapy — a manifestation of our Vision 2020, the association's previous vision statement that guided APTA from 2000 to 2013. His voice and perspective for our profession at this time of challenge will shape our next generation of impact.
• The aims outlined in "APTA Public Policy Priorities 2025-2026," which highlight the need to communicate and advocate on the challenges our profession is facing — from declining payment to high education costs. Our members create value through the collective effort to communicate to those in positions to determine how resources are allocated.
• The power of communicating clearly with those we serve by employing language interpreters when needed to better serve patients in their preferred language.

Without connection to its audience, communication loses its value. Our collective role is to leverage the currency of communication to build community, create value by connection, and articulate the power of this profession.

The value of this currency is not realized in a single use but in its continued use in the system. Our members sharing their stories, building our community, and connecting to those who are not currently engaged in their professional association is our highest value. Your amplification and ambassadorship are critical in a world of varied narratives and efforts that would incite over inspire; enrage over engage.

Recently, Vivek Murthy, MD, the former surgeon general of the United States, penned "My Parting Prescription for America." His prescription in a nutshell? Leverage the power of human connection and choose community to improve the health of society. As a profession based in this principle and articulated in our mission statement — we hold undeniable value in this pursuit of better health for all. Wield this currency not only to increase our value as an association, but to raise the worth of our profession in the eyes of society.

Sincerely,

Justin Moore, PT, DPT