Acute Care Therapy Productivity Benchmarks
Hospital therapists work in the least predictable setting in rehab. ASHA’s 2025 survey found a median productivity requirement of 80% for SLPs in general medical, VA and long-term acute care hospitals, up from 75% in 2023. APTA’s practice survey found acute care PTs saw about 30–32 patients and 39–40 visits a week. Many hospitals measure more than minutes: some track visits, units or a weighted mix.
By the Best Therapy Productivity Calculator team · Last updated October 2026
Acute care benchmarks at a glance
80%
Median SLP requirement, general medical, VA or LTAC hospital
ASHA 2025
75%
of hospital SLPs have a productivity requirement
ASHA 2025
39–40
PT visits per week in acute care
APTA 2016–17
Acute care benchmarks
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median SLP productivity requirement, general medical / VA / LTAC hospital | 80% (2025), 75% (2023) | ASHA |
| Hospital SLPs with any requirement | 75% | ASHA 2025 |
| PT individual patients seen per week, acute care | 30 (51–75% direct care) / 32 (76%+) | APTA 2016–17 |
| PT visits per week, acute care | 39 / 40 | APTA 2016–17 |
APTA figures are medians from the 2016–2017 PT Practice Profile Survey.
How hospitals measure therapy productivity
Acute care departments use different models. APTA surveyed its acute care members in 2022 about the models their hospitals use to measure productivity, value and performance, and published the findings in 2024. Common approaches include:
| Model | What’s counted |
|---|---|
| Percent of paid time | Billable or patient-care minutes ÷ paid minutes |
| Visits | Number of patient encounters per day |
| Units | Billing units completed |
| Weighted workload | Different values for evaluations, re-evaluations and treatments |
Ask which model your department uses, because the same day can look very different under each one.
Why acute care productivity is hard to plan
- Medical holds: lab values, imaging, procedures and changes in medical status cancel or delay sessions
- Discharge priority: evaluations for patients going home today jump the queue
- Chart review takes time: reviewing vitals, labs and orders before each patient is essential and rarely counted
- Short stays: more evaluations and fewer follow-up treatments
- Walking the building: patients on different floors and units
Tip: Keep a simple log of each day’s holds and cancellations for two weeks. It turns “my day was chaotic” into numbers your manager can act on.
Planning an acute care day
If your department uses a percentage target, the same math applies:
| Target | Billable minutes (8-hour paid day) | Non-billable minutes for chart review, holds and travel |
|---|---|---|
| 70% | 336 | 144 |
| 75% | 360 | 120 |
| 80% | 384 | 96 |
| 85% | 408 | 72 |
Plan with the therapy productivity calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the productivity standard for acute care physical therapists?
We haven’t found a public national survey of PT percentages in acute care. Hospitals use a mix of models: percentage, visits, units or weighted workload. APTA’s 2016–2017 survey found a median of 39–40 visits a week.
What is the productivity requirement for hospital SLPs?
ASHA’s 2025 survey median is 80% for SLPs in general medical, VA and LTAC hospitals.
Do medical holds count against my productivity?
Usually the paid time stays and the billable time is lost. Some departments adjust for holds, so ask how yours handles them.
Why are acute care targets often lower than SNF targets?
For SLPs, ASHA’s data shows 80% in hospitals versus 85% in SNFs. Holds, chart review, discharge evaluations and travel within the hospital all take non-billable time.
More benchmarks: All settings · Inpatient rehab · SNF