Frequently Asked Questions

Why Us?

	We treat only 2 patients per hour. This is necessary because 20-25 minutes are needed when working on the patient to create a soft tissue environment suitable for strengthening and increasing range of motion.
	Copays are increasing every year. You, the insured, have more power than you know. Your copay is accepted by all physical therapy offices that accept your insurance. A manual therapy office that schedules fewer patients per hour will provide you with personalized care that is diagnosis specific. (Please note that it is illegal to waive a patient’s copay. If payment is not taken from you, then it is illegal for us to bill your insurance company)
	Personalized attention. This refers to 20-25 minutes of “hands on skin” manual therapy. Gowns are available when needed if you are not appropriately dressed. All manual therapy treatments take place in private treatment rooms.
	Treatment should be rendered by a NYS licensed physical therapist or physical therapist assistant. Medicare, in particular, does not authorize physical therapy treatment rendered by anyone else in a physical therapy setting.
	Real measurable progress. Therapy can be very uncomfortable, depending on what needs to be accomplished, but should never be extremely painful. Manual therapy helps lessen this discomfort because the time is spent making the soft tissue changes (soft tissue mobilization) that make it less painful for you to meet your goals. Prolonged soft tissue work is the groundwork to increasing your range of motion and your muscle strength. Please keep in mind it is your responsibility to do at home what your physical therapist advises you to do. This can include modifying your activity level, performing your home exercises or icing at home as directed. If you are aggravating your condition every time you leave therapy your progress will be much slower.
	Personalized goal setting. Your progress is our success, and every visit counts! Whether it be muscle strengthening, balance, gait, or decreasing pain it is our responsibility to help you succeed. If we cannot meet certain goals, you will know exactly what level of progress to expect within a few visits.
	Personalized exercise program. Your rehab program will be fine-tuned so that you can get back to doing the activities that you had to stop because of your injury.
	You should be challenged every visit. When you are ready, your exercise program will be safely upgraded and remain within the limits of your doctor’s protocol. Every patient progresses at a different rate; each patient must be considered individually.
	Professional equipment. Your safety is the primary concern while being treated at our office. All of our equipment is brand new (2011) and commercially rated. Our complete state of the art gym provides the environment needed to create an exercise program specifically suited to your needs. We will teach you how to progress yourself, when you feel confident enough, to exercise on your own at home or a commercial gym.

What is a DPT and does my therapist need to have one?

A DPT is a doctorate level of education that became standard around 2002, meaning that if someone attended PT school after that time they would automatically earn a DPT upon completion of their education. Physical Therapists that graduated prior to 2002 received an MPT, or a Master in Physical Therapy. Every licensed physical therapist in NYS has the qualifications to treat you effectively and safely, and one degree is not superior to the other and will not give you better results.

Do I need a prescription?

Legally you can seek out any physical therapist and be treated without a prescription for approximately 10 visits in NYS.

The insurance company, however, can deny payment if there is no prescription on file.

Requiring a prescription largely depends on your diagnosis and the problem we are trying to address for you. We like to keep your physician “in the loop” at all times and will recommend that you schedule an appointment with your doctor after the first few visits. Please note that if you have a serious or chronic condition, we highly recommend seeing your physician first to obtain a prescription for your own benefit. If your insurance is an HMO, then you must see your doctor first before seeking any treatment.

Is a prescription the same as a referral/authorization?

No, these are 2 separate pieces of paper. The prescription is signed by an MD and given to you at the time of your visit with your doctor. It contains instructions written by the doctor/surgeon indicating your diagnosis and what body part the patient needs treated, as well as the frequency and duration of treatment. Medicare requires a prescription from a licensed MD to reimburse for your treatment.

The referral is the insurance paperwork that must be completed by your MD, if your plan requires it, so that your PT can treat you and get paid.

The authorization is the agreement to get paid by the insurance company that the PT must obtain after their first visit with you in order to treat you and bill your insurance.

	Worker’s Compensation and No-Fault always require an authorization.
	Some insurers consider the referral and the authorization the same thing, but you must check with your specific carrier to be sure.

What should I wear my first visit?

Comfortable clothes and rubber soled shoes, preferably sneakers. Women should wear a cotton spaghetti strap top or tank top. Sports bras are ok to exercise in, but can get in the way if we have to treat your upper back, neck or shoulder.

Will I be treated the first visit?

We call the first visit the “Initial Evaluation” and it is strictly devoted to narrowing down your problem so we can treat you properly. This is also the visit during which the physical therapist gets all your information and your baseline functional measurements, which can take up to an hour. The actual hands-on treatment begins the next visit following the initial evaluation.