YOUR FIRST PHYSICAL THERAPY APPOINTMENT

All your sessions will take place in a friendly, fun, and judgment-free environment.

During your first appointment, your therapist will perform a complete, comprehensive evaluation and create a personalized treatment plan.

This will last roughly 60 minutes.

Cancelation / Reschedule Policy: All sessions must be canceled or rescheduled within 24 hours to avoid a $75 fee.

BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT

Please complete our new patient forms and bring them with you to your first appointment, along with any medical assistive devices, such as a brace, splint, or crutches.

Be prepared to provide valid photo identification (i.e. driver’s license, state ID, or passport) in addition to your insurance card when you arrive.

Your scheduled appointment time reflects when treatment begins. If running late, please call us so we can try to accommodate your schedule.

DURING YOUR APPOINTMENT

Each session is focused on getting you feeling your best as fast as possible.

Be sure to wear comfortable clothing that is easy to move around in and allows clinicians to access your point of pain.

  • Sweatpants, gym shoes, and other workout attire is preferred.

  • Private rooms are available as needed.

  • Additionally, pilates-based exercises are performed without shoes, so sticky socks are helpful.

Please Note: Your therapist may also have a rehab aide to assist with the treatment.

WHAT DOES TREATMENT LOOK LIKE?

Depending on your condition, a typical physical therapy session will last approximately 60 to 90 minutes and follow the personalized treatment plan created after your first appointment.

Appointments / Follow Up Sessions May Consist of the Following:

  • Therapeutic exercises

  • Manual Therapy: joint mobilizations, Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Manipulation (IASTM), scar tissue management, etc.

  • Gait Training: either overground or on the AlterG AntiGravity Treadmill

  • Modalities, such as Ultrasound, Electric Stimulation, and Laser

  • Heat or Cold Therapy

  • Prescribing a Home Exercise Program (HEP)

  • Ongoing education, especially in posture and ergonomics

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

We’ll track your progress to ensure you meet your goals.

To help us guide your care, we want to know what you think. Occasionally, we’ll ask you to complete a questionnaire when you start your treatment and ask follow-up questions throughout the time you spend with our team.

FAQs

    • Massage Therapy

    • Dry Needling

    • IASTYM

    • Class 4 Deep Tissue Laser Therapy

    • CranioSacral Therapy

    • Kinesiology Taping (Kinesiotape and RockTape)

    • AlterG AntiGravity Treadmill Training

    • Pilates

    • Yoga

    • Acupuncture

    • Chiropractic Medicine

  • Please note you are responsible for paying your copay before services are rendered.

    Cash Rate: $230 for initial evaluation | $180 for subsequent visits.

    Dry Needling with treatment: $45

    Dry Needling Alone: $90

    Please let us know if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage before starting treatment.

    Cancelation / Reschedule Policy: All sessions must be canceled or rescheduled within 24 hours to avoid a $90 fee.

  • Starting in August 2018, Illinois now has DIRECT ACCESS for physical therapy. That means you do not need a prescription to start treatment. However, for Medicare patients, it's important to note that a physical therapy prescription is required. Nonetheless, we like to be a part of your holistic healthcare team, so we prefer to inform your primary care doctor about the therapy we are providing. This fosters open communication among all members of your healthcare team.

  • We are in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Medicare. Many other insurances have Out of Network benefits as well. No matter what insurance you have, please let our billing experts check to see what coverage you have! We also offer a fair cash rate for patients who would like that option.

  • Billing for physical therapy services is similar to what happens at your doctor's office.

    When you are seen for treatment, the following occurs:

    • The physical therapist bills your insurance company, Workers' Comp, or charges you based on Common Procedure Terminology (CPT) codes.

    • Those codes are transferred to a billing form that is either mailed or electronically communicated to the payer.

    • The payer processes this information and makes payments according to an agreed-upon fee schedule.

    • An Explanation of Benefits (EOB) is generated and sent to the patient and the physical therapy clinic with a check for payment and a balance due by the patient.

    • The patient is expected to make the payment on the balance if any.

    It is important to understand that there are many small steps (beyond the outline provided above) within the process. Exceptions are common to the above example as well. At any time along the way, information may be missing, miscommunicated, or misunderstood. This can delay the payment process. While it is common for the payment process to be completed in 60 days or less, it is not uncommon for the physical therapy clinic to receive payment as long as six months after the treatment date.

  • Make sure you bring your physical therapy referral (when necessary and provided to you by your doctor) and your payment information. If your insurance is covering the cost of physical therapy, bring your insurance card. If you are covered by Workers' Compensation, bring your claim number and your case manager's contact information. If you are covered by auto insurance or an attorney lien, make sure you bring this information.

  • Who is better to see, a PT that works for a physician or a PT that owns a private practice?

    We leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions but here are some facts. The studies indicate there were more treatments (visits per patient were 39% to 45% higher in physician-owned clinics) and the cost was greater for those patients that attended a physician-owned physical therapy practice (both gross and net revenue per patient were 30% to 40% higher).

    Another study indicated that licensed and non-licensed therapy providers spent less time with each patient in physician-owned clinics and physical therapy assistants were substituted for physical therapists.

    Another older study concluded that "Therapists who had treated patients through direct access were significantly more likely to believe that direct access had benefited them professionally and benefited their patients than were therapists who had not practiced through direct access."

    We believe that we can provide you with the highest quality of care available and do it in a cost-effective manner. You will work closely with your physical therapist and in most instances, your case will be managed by the same physical therapist from the beginning to the end of your experience with us.

    Noted:

    Mitchell, J., Scott, E., Physician Ownership of Physical Therapy Services: Effects on Charges, Utilization, Profits, and Service Characteristics, Journal of the American Medical Association, 1992.

    Joint Ventures Among Health Care Providers in Florida, State of Florida Health Care Cost Containment Board, 1991.

    Domholdt E, Durchholz AG. Direct access use by experienced therapists in states with direct access. Phys Ther. 1992 Aug;72(8):569-74.

    Federal Office of the Inspector General May 1, 2006 - This report calls into question billing processes done by non-physical therapist-owned practices.