ATI Physical Therapy Care Delivery Leader Dr. Charles Thigpen Honored with Excellence in Sports PT Research Award from the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy

The award recognizes Dr. Thigpen's two-decade commitment to improving the physical therapy field

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Feb 17, 2022, 07:00 ET

BOLINGBROOK, Ill., Feb. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ATI Physical Therapy ("ATI" or the "Company"), the largest single-branded outpatient physical therapy provider in the United States, today announced that Charles Thigpen, PhD, PT, ATC, and ATI Vice President of Care Delivery, has received the Excellence in Sports PT Research Award from the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy (AASPT). Dr. Thigpen received this honor for his decades of commitment to furthering the field of physical therapy, with a focus on changing how musculoskeletal (MSK) care is delivered to improve patient outcomes.

"This award is a recognition, not just of the outstanding research Chuck has led in the PT field, but also of how that important, ground-breaking work is extending ATI's reach as a leader in quality-based outcomes in physical therapy," said Ray Wahl, ATI Chief Operating Officer. "We are extremely proud of what this award means for Chuck, for our team and for our patients."

In Dr. Thigpen's current role, he leads ATI's recently created Care Delivery Team, where he is responsible for ensuring that the Company remains a leader in the treatment of MSK-related issues. This includes overseeing clinical operations and specialized service lines, implementing best practices fueled by research, and the development of future clinical programs. These efforts are central to ATI's leadership in the adoption of value-based care payment models in physical therapy.

"This honor by the AASPT is shared with my current team and the many colleagues who've partnered with me over the years," said Dr. Thigpen. "Over my career, my goal has always been to evolve and innovate the way MSK care is delivered to the breadth of patients we see in our clinics every day. I hope our work will disrupt the way MSK healthcare is delivered by showing how physical therapy improves our patients' lives and reduces their total cost of care."

Dr. Thigpen's interest and career in PT started with a college football injury. He became fascinated with how the body works, which drove him to learn more about biomechanics and patient outcomes during his PhD program at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Thigpen began to understand and identify large gaps in PT outcome research, and he began to study how to prevent injury and improve patient outcomes with the help of Ellen Shanley, a research scientist and ATI's Director of Athletic Injury Research, Prevention and Education. Together, they are now developing ATI's best practices that integrate the best evidence and guidelines with data insights from ATI's Patient Outcome Registry.

"Dr. Thigpen intimately understands what's possible when it comes to applying PT to injuries and general MSK health, but also what's important for improving patient outcomes and making a direct impact on their lives," said Dr. Shanley. "He can take the vision of a team, create a consensus, and spearhead a group of individuals toward attaining a common goal, which is the prevention and treatment of MSK disorders."

Dr. Thigpen received the Excellence in Sports PT Research Award Feb. 4, via online video.

Category: Leadership

About ATI Physical Therapy
At ATI Physical Therapy, we are passionate about potential. Every day, we restore it in our patients and activate it in our team members in our more than 900 locations in 25 states. With outcomes from more than 2.5 million unique patient cases, ATI is making strides in the industry by setting quality standards designed to deliver predictable outcomes for our patients with musculoskeletal (MSK) issues. ATI's offerings span across a broad spectrum for MSK-related issues. From preventative services in the workplace and athletic training support to outpatient clinical services and online physical therapy via our online platform, CONNECT™, a complete list of our service offerings can be found at ATIpt.com. ATI is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Contact:
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ATI Physical Therapy
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SOURCE ATI Physical Therapy