Reader Submitted
Friday, May 10, 2013
(This is the last in a three-part series on How to Choose a Physical Therapist.)
Now that you have talked to a physical therapist about possibly starting a treatment program, and he or she has told you what can be done to help you achieve your medical objectives, you need to be aware of what to expect and demand from your PT.
This article covers these key expectations and the red flags to watch for as you select a physical therapist and commit to a treatment program.
What you should expect from your Physical Therapist or physical therapy clinic:
? Highly trained and experienced physical therapists.
? Specific course of treatment based upon a thorough evaluation and identification of the source of your symptoms.
? A single therapist for the duration of your course of treatment.
? Dedicated hands-on care.
? One-on-one care.
? No double-booking.
? No group sessions unless specific to your needs and billed appropriately.
? Private treatment rooms to assure your privacy as well as to assure that your PT is devoting 100 percent of his or her attention to you and your needs.
? Positive changes or results within two weeks. That doesn?t mean that you will be fully recovered by then, but you should have enough change to indicate that you are on the correct plan of care.
? Communication among your health care professionals.
? Courteous and professional care from your physical therapist as well as the entire staff.
? Appropriate transition and inclusion of home exercises to maximize outcome and effectiveness of care and carryover of benefits from treatment to treatment.
? Educated and articulate answers to your questions relative to your condition or to the suggested plan of care.
To recap, here are a few important points or ?red flags? to keep in mind:
Physicians who send you to facilities they own are profiting from the referral, and that brings up an ethical question. What are they more concerned with, their profit or your well-being?
Physicians who are employees of hospitals are generally ?encouraged? to refer to other hospital-owned departments and oftentimes suffer from negative reviews or punishments if they don?t comply (another ethical dilemma).
New graduates, assistants or trainers don?t have the experience, certification or advanced training that PTs with years or decades of experience have. They are less equipped to ascertain the source of your symptoms, which equates ineffective or longer terms of care.
Hospital-owned, outpatient facilities are often up to four times more expensive than the same services at physical therapist-owned private practices.
Not having the same therapist treatment to treatment equates inefficiency and lack of continuity of care.
Hopefully, you have been able to glean some valuable information from this article to help you make an informed decision on a very important matter: your health and well-being. The ?bottom line? for a business may be profit, but your ?bottom line? should be who can provide the best care at the best price, in the most expeditious and professional manner and achieve the best outcomes for your recovery. You have a right to choose, and the choice is yours.
Cathy Leer has been practicing physical therapy for 30 years. She is founder of Family Physical Therapy Services in Bedford and Chichester, and director of Physical Therapy. She is also an advocate for patient care and rights. Leer specializes in manual orthopedic physical therapy. She can be reached at Family Physical Therapy Services at 644-8334.
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