#AAOE2026: 3 Minutes With Cindy Murray
At this year’s AAOE Annual Conference, taking place April 20-22 in Louisville, Kentucky, Cindy Murray Carrell Clinic, PT, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Carrell Clinic, a Division of OrthoLonestar, will challenge how you think about patient access. We asked her a few quick questions to preview her session—and the answers were too good not to share.
Session: Right Patient, Right Provider, Right Time: Patient Access as Strategy
1. What’s one myth or outdated practice you’re going to bust in your session—and why does it matter now more than ever?
That patient access is just a scheduling issue. It’s actually a strategic lever—one that directly impacts growth, patient loyalty, and provider satisfaction. Practices that treat it like a backend function are missing out on its power.
2. What’s a mistake you see practices make over and over again—and what could they do instead?
They react to access problems instead of planning for them. We’ll walk through a proactive framework for identifying bottlenecks, optimizing referrals, and aligning access with both patient needs and provider goals.
3. What’s one idea from your session that attendees can implement the next day—and what kind of results could it unlock?
Audit your “next available appointment” by provider and visit type—then compare that to your no-show and cancellation rates. You’ll immediately spot mismatches and opportunities to realign your schedule for both access and revenue gains.
4. If you could sit next to a first-time attendee during your session, what would you whisper in their ear to help them get the most out of it?
“Think of your schedule like a supply chain. If it’s clunky or slow, you’re leaking value.”
You’ll learn how to stop the leaks and deliver care faster, smarter, and with more impact.
5. What’s something you wish you had known earlier in your career that you’ll be sharing with attendees?
That small access issues compound fast. What feels like a simple delay or reschedule can snowball into patient dissatisfaction, referral leakage, and even lost revenue.
6. Why should someone who’s still on the fence about attending the conference not miss your session?
Because improving access isn’t optional anymore—it’s a competitive advantage.
You’ll walk away with tactical tools you can implement immediately to reduce friction, increase satisfaction, and improve performance.
7. What’s one trend in healthcare—or in orthopedics specifically—that’s influencing your session topic right now?
The growing focus on convenience as care. Patients expect fast, flexible access—just like they do in every other part of their lives. Orthopedic practices must adapt or risk losing patients to more agile competitors.
In this challenging environment with its heavy demands, having the right tools and insights isn’t optional—it’s essential. Our speakers will give you both. But only if you’re in the room. View the full speaker lineup: https://lnkd.in/e2akj2Jb
Seats are filling fast—don’t miss your chance to learn from dozens of experts at #AAOE2026. Did you know that over 60% of the speakers are AAOE members? They “get it” when it comes to smart orthopedic/MSK practice management!
Register Now: https://bit.ly/speaker-insights – Winter value pricing ends Thursday, January 15th!
