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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |
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Physical Therapy is a licensed health care profession that specializes in the treatment of musculoskeletal as well as neurological conditions. Treatment includes therapeutic exercise, manual therapy/massage, as well as the use of modalities (heat, cold, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, etc.). The treatment is focused towards returning the patient to their prior level of function.
What conditions can be treated with Physical Therapy?
Most musculoskeletal and neurological conditions can be treated through physical therapy. This can range from pain, fractures, total joint replacements, sprains/ strains to Parkinson’s disease and stroke. If you have a question, please do not hesitate to call the office to see if we treat your condition.
Do I need a physician's referral for Physical Therapy?
Yes and No. Florida is a direct access state which means with certain insurances a referral is not required. However, some insurance companies require a referral before services will be authorized.
Do I have a choice where to attend Physical Therapy?
Yes. As a patient you have the right to request the physical therapy clinic of your choice. However, your insurance can dictate which clinic you visit due to the fact that certain insurances are only accepted by certain clinics. If your physician is unfamiliar with our facility, recommend they contact our facility about the services we provide.
Will my insurance cover Physical Therapy services?
We accept most insurance plans. Prior to your first visit at Beachside Physical Therapy we will ensure that we are in your network. After your first visit, we will call your insurance carrier to verify your benefits. Your insurance will in some cases authorize a certain amount of visits and inform us if there is a co-pay associated with your plan. If you have any further questions, please contact our billing department.
How do I schedule my appointment?
If you have your referral, give us a call and we can arrange a time for your initial visit. Sometimes, physicians fax the referral to us in which case we will contact you to set up the initial visit.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
Please remember that an appointment means that we have reserved that time especially for you. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please give us at least 24 hours' notice so that another patient may be treated at that time
What should I bring to my first visit?
For your first visit, you should bring your insurance card and picture ID/driver’s license. Also, any operative, MRI, and x-ray reports are also helpful in your care. Another recommendation is to bring a list of your medications and drug allergies.
What should I wear to Physical Therapy?
In general, wear comfortable clothing that will allow you to move around. If the impairment you present with is an upper body problem (cervical, shoulder, upper back), a gown can be provided to maintain your modesty. If the problem is low back or lower extremity, shorts are recommended to allow easier access to the area. We do have private treatment rooms so it is possible to change clothes at the clinic.
What should I expect on my first visit?
Your first visit is the initial evaluation. During this visit, your physical therapist will take a thorough history of your condition and then take specific tests and measurements to pinpoint your impairment. Your therapist will use this data to make a clinical judgment of your diagnosis and prognosis. Then your therapist will formulate a specific treatment plan to resolve the problems identified. Goals will be set with your input as well.
Your initial visit will last approximately 1 hour. We also ask that you arrive 15 minutes prior to this appointment to complete paperwork. Treatment sessions, after the initial evaluation, typically last in duration anywhere from 45 minutes to 75 minutes depending on the patient and their diagnosis.
How many visits will I have to come?
The amount of visits will be set by your therapist with your cooperation. These visits do have a range depending on the patient’s diagnosis but typically the average number of visits is 12.
Your progress is an ongoing process as your therapist will be evaluating you during each session to quantify this progress. It is important to inform your therapist of any physician appointments so that a re-evaluation occurs so that the physician is updated when you see them.
Why do I have different charges for each of my physical therapy visits?
Physical therapy bills differently than most doctor visits. Instead of billing one code for the entire visit, we must bill for each separate procedure performed and by the amount of time that procedure was performed. This means that on the explanation of benefits your insurance company provides you, it is possible to see 4 or 5 different lines of billed codes. This is completely normal. As for the different charges, it is our hope that you will be progressing with each and every visit to our facilities. This means that each time you come for physical therapy we will be adjusting your treatment to follow your development.
At Beachside Physical Therapy, we take our billing very seriously. We have an in-house audit department that verifies each and every billed procedure on a daily basis to ensure that no charges are sent without being verified. If you feel that we have made an error with your billing, please feel free to contact our billing department at 321-773-8155.
What is my responsibility to Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy requires the co-participation of the therapist and patient. Success is unlikely if the patient only does their exercises during their sessions. It is imperative to do your home exercise program that your therapist will instruct you in. The home exercise program helps to speed recovery.
It is possible that you can experience some muscle soreness. Just because soreness occurs does not necessarily mean that the condition has worsened. The objective is to make your rehabilitation as comfortable as possible.
