Physician Frequently Asked Questions

In most cases patients are scheduled within 24 hours. On an emergency basis, we will see the patient that day.

Unfortunately, with today's managed care, some insurance companies don't allow this timely scheduling secondary to pre-certification requirements. Please call us if there is any question.

Referring a patient to physical therapy is easy. Simply give the patient a prescription and have your office staff or the patient call us and they will be promptly scheduled.

Other than a clinical diagnosis if known, the only other information we need is:

• Weight bearing restrictions for post-surgical and post -fracture patients
• Fracture status
• ROM restrictions for post-surgical patients
• Degrees of resistance allowed for post-surgical patient (e.g.: active, passive or resisted)
• Expected limits in ROM if any, for a final outcome on a post-surgical patient
• Type of surgical procedure and/or type of internal fixation used
• Specific requests for splints or braces.

As physical therapists, we work very closely with your patients to allow gradual stress on a surgical site. Operative reports, X-rays and/or MRI reports are always helpful, but are not absolutely necessary. Any vital information can be written directly on the referral as outlined in the previous question.

In most cases it is best to leave specific duration and frequency up to the physical therapist.

The patient will be periodically re-evaluated and updated reports will be sent. Frequency of reports will depend upon the chronicity and nature of the problem. Re-evaluations and reports will also be sent prior to any follow -up visit you have scheduled with the patient. If you would like reports or updates more frequently and/or verbally, please call or write it on your referral.

Absolutely. Simply tell your patient you would like them to be seen by a physical therapist to see if we can be helpful. We will evaluate the patient and call you or send a report, as you prefer.

Also, feel free to call us first for general information and intervention options for an individual patient or for more general information on various diagnoses or types of problems.

Decisions about specific interventions, duration, and frequency of visits are best left to the physical therapist upon examination/evaluation. You can explain to your patient that the physical therapist will evaluate them and identify any physical therapy problems such as pain, weakness, loss of motion, loss of function, gait problems, etc.

The physical therapist will explain all aspects of the plan of care to the patient and will send you a report with an outline of their care. This way, the patient doesn't have a false expectation for physical therapy and the best intervention options can be utilized.

Any specific requests you make will be incorporated in the patient's program if appropriate.