Essential Tips for Finding the Best Physical Therapy Clinic in Your Area

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE: Factors you need to consider

Like any professional service, not all physical therapy practices are created equal.  Choosing the best one for your treatment may determine the type of results you experience.  This blog will guide you through some important aspects to consider when you are deciding where to go for physical therapy.

Do your Due Diligence: You get to choose where you go!

• Ask friends or people you trust who have tried different physical therapy clinics…there is no substitute for first-hand experience.
• Read about the clinics on the internet: check out their website and visit various rating sites (like Yelp) to see what people are saying about their experience at the clinic…unsolicited feedback is usually accurate.
• Ask why your physician sent you to a specific clinic…was it because of the level of skill and success or was there a financial relationship between the medical practice and the physical therapy clinic.  Physicians who own their own “in-house” physical therapy profit from the services provided by the clinic, creating a potential conflict of interest.
• Find out how many patients each physical therapist sees per hour…be wary of clinics that schedule more than 1-2 patients per hour as it means less time with you.
• Find out about staff experience and skill level…do they have advance degrees and board certification?
• Ask about the size of the clinic and the type of equipment…While larger clinics are not necessarily better, make sure that they are equipped enough to meet your needs.
• Determine if the clinic will verify, pre-certify, and submit claims on your behalf…you should know prior to your first visit if you have a deductible and how much is met, what your co-payment is, and how many visits are approved.  Avoid getting surprised by a large bill because you were unaware of your coverage.

Evaluate the Staff

Success starts with the front office: You can find out a lot about a practice by the way you are treated by front office personnel.

• Were you greeted (on the phone and in person) pleasantly?
• Did the administrative personal take time to answer your questions?
• Did you get the impression the person you spoke with was happy to be there?
• Was the process efficient?

Assessing your physical therapist

• Did you have adequate time with your PT?
• Did you feel like all your questions were answered?
• Did the PT explain your condition to you?
• Did your PT outline a plan of care and establish goals?
• Were you given a home exercise program?
• Did the PT emphasize a “hands-on” approach?
• Were you seen by the same PT each visit or were your treatments inconsistent?

These are guidelines that will help you navigate through the decision process that allows you to find the best physical therapy practice in your area.  To ensure that all these attributes are addressed, choose The Sports Rehabilitation Center to meet your physical therapy goals!