Beterra Client Leadership Series: Amanda Osborne, PT, MBA

From Physical Therapy to System Change: Amanda Osborne on Compassionate Leadership and the Future of Rehabilitation 

Amanda Osborne’s career began the day her mother broke her ankle. As a high schooler watching physical therapists help her mom regain mobility, Amanda saw more than treatment. She saw purpose. “Once I saw what physical therapists did, I knew it was the right field for me,” she says. 

That early spark has since grown into a transformative career in healthcare. Today, Amanda serves as Vice President of Hospital Operations and Hospital Administrator at Brooks Rehabilitation, where she leads system-wide efforts to enhance safety, engagement, and patient outcomes across one of the nation’s leading rehabilitation organizations. 

From Bedside to Boardroom: A Growth Path Fueled by Mentorship

While Amanda always envisioned herself as a leader, it was her first clinic leadership role that opened the door to operational leadership. “I had an early opportunity to lead a clinic, and that led to more operational work,” she recalls. “I learned quickly that I really enjoy it.” With support from Brooks and strong mentorship, Amanda steadily expanded her scope and influence. Today, she brings that same mentorship mindset to her team: championing continuous learning, curiosity, and leadership development at every level. 

Navigating Challenges in a High-Complexity Field

“Rehabilitation is uniquely complex,” Amanda explains. Patients are often medically fragile, and recovery journeys are long and nonlinear. This makes quality and safety both a priority and a challenge. The biggest hurdle Amanda sees in healthcare is staffing, especially in nursing. “Nurses are the driver of quality and safety. When an organization is understaffed, it stresses the system and leads to errors,” she says. 

That challenge has led Amanda and her team to focus on innovative workforce engagement strategies, including individual development plans and creative retention practices. “You have to become an employer of choice,” she says. 

Turning Accountability into Impact 

One initiative Amanda is particularly proud of is Brooks’ annual Quality Commitment Day. This organization-wide event brings frontline and management staff together to define individual roles for each key performance indicator. “Everyone walks away knowing exactly what their role is in our outcomes,” Amanda explains. “It’s created clarity, accountability, and consistency, which has directly improved our quality metrics.” 

Excitement about the Future: Harnessing AI for Safer, Smarter Care 

Amanda is also excited about how predictive analytics are reshaping rehab. “The use of AI to predict readmissions and falls is a game changer,” she says. “It’s a new way to use data for real-time improvements in outcomes.” She also sees promise in the deeper integration of patient-reported outcomes and cross-disciplinary collaboration to close safety gaps during transitions of care. 

Learning, Listening, and Saying Yes 

Amanda’s professional development philosophy is simple: say yes!  

“It might not seem applicable to your role today, but it might be the key to your next one,” she says. “The more you learn, the better positioned you’ll be for the future.” She finds ongoing inspiration in students and early-career professionals. “They challenge you to think differently,” she says. “They bring fresh, innovative ideas that improve both operations and care delivery.”

A Global Lens and a Human Heart

Amanda’s recent international work has broadened her perspective on what healthcare can be. “The U.S. has a great medical system, but we also have much to learn from others,” she reflects. “Collaborating across cultures opens your eyes to new ways of thinking.” 
 
And behind her professional excellence? A whole, grounded life. Amanda is married to a Jacksonville firefighter with over 20 years of experience and is the mom to two busy boys. “When I’m not at work, I’m at the ballfields,” she laughs. 

Amanda Osborne’s story is a testament to what happens when clinical excellence meets operational leadership. From the physical therapy floor to the C-suite, she’s proving that leadership in rehabilitation isn’t about leaving care behind: it’s about carrying it forward, system-wide. 

About Amanda Osborne 

Amanda Osborne is Vice President of Hospital Operations and Hospital Administrator at Brooks Rehabilitation. With a background in physical therapy and a passion for operational leadership, Amanda is known for her collaborative approach, strategic clarity, and commitment to quality. 

About Brooks Rehabilitation

Brooks Rehabilitation is a nationally recognized leader in post-acute and rehabilitative care, serving patients throughout Florida and beyond. With a full continuum of services from inpatient rehab to outpatient therapy to home health, Brooks is committed to empowering people through recovery, innovation, and compassionate care. 

This post is part of Beterra’s ongoing series highlighting exceptional leaders in healthcare safety and quality. Stay tuned for our next story!