WELCOME TO THE A-TEAM!
OUR MISSION: GET YOU OUT OF PAIN AND BACK TO THE ACTIVITIES YOU LOVE.
YOUR FIRST PHYSICAL THERAPY APPOINTMENT
Your physical therapy treatments take place in a friendly, fun, and judgment-free environment.
Each session is focused on getting you feeling your best as fast as possible.
Depending on your condition, a typical physical therapy session will last approximately 60 to 90 minutes.
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
You will be sent new patient paperwork to fill out digitally before your first appointment. We have a new electronic medical record program, so you may be asked to complete paperwork, even if you have been a patient in the past. We promise that we use this information to maximize your PT experience!
It is very important that you complete these forms before the first appointment - this way we can get right down to business (getting you better!) If you are not able to complete these digital forms, please come in 20-30 mins before your scheduled time and we can assist you in completing them.
Please bring any medical assistive devices, such as a brace, splint, or crutches.
Provide valid photo identification (i.e. driver’s license, state ID, or passport) in addition to your insurance card when you arrive. Bring in your doctor’s prescription for PT (if you have one - this is only required for Medicare)
Your appointment time reflects when treatment begins. If running late, please call us so we can try to accommodate your schedule.
DURING YOUR APPOINTMENT
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, and you may be asked to change into a gown to allow better access to the area of your body being treated (like the neck or back) all while maintaining modesty.
Additionally, most pilates-based exercises are performed without shoes – sticky socks are sometimes helpful (which we have for sale, if desired).
Please Note: Your therapist may also have a Physical Therapy Technician to assist with the treatment. These individuals are part of the physical therapy team and are trained to help you get the most out of your experience. We are like your “get better” squad!
WHAT DOES TREATMENT LOOK LIKE?
During your first session, your therapist will perform a complete, comprehensive evaluation and create a personalized treatment plan.
Depending on your diagnosis and condition, follow-up appointments 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
Pelvic Floor / Women’s Health - each session is in a private room. You and your therapist will come up with a treatment plan that everyone feels comfortable with. We promise it is not as scary as you think! 99.9% of all our patients say they wished they would have started treatment with us sooner!
Vertigo Rehab - We suggest that you have someone drive you to and from PT if you are very dizzy. Sometimes the treatment can make you dizzy - it is all a part of getting you back to 100%!
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 us. Most of the questionnaires will be completed on an iPad.
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Massage Therapy
Dry Needling
IASTYM
Class 4 Deep Tissue Laser Therapy
CranioSacral Therapy
Kinesiology Taping (Kinesiotape and RockTape)
AlterG AntiGravity Treadmill Training
Pilates
Health Coaching
Acupuncture
Chiropractic Medicine
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Please note you are responsible for paying your copay before services are rendered.
Many insurances have deductibles that need to be met before they pay for medical services. Please check your plan and we are happy to discuss your benefits with you! Our goal is financial transparency.
Cash Rate: $200 for initial evaluation | $150 for subsequent visits.
Please let us know if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage before starting treatment.
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Starting in August 2018, Illinois now has DIRECT ACCESS for physical therapy. That means you do not need a prescription to start treatment. However, we like to be a part of your holistic healthcare team, so we like to let your primary care doctor know what we are doing in therapy. This allows for open communication with all parties of your healthcare team.
Medicare DOES require a prescription from your MD or DO. (Podiatrist and Dentist referrals are not accepted by Medicare)
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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.
We also accept Car Accident, Personal Injury and Worker’s Comp cases.
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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 to nine months after the treatment date.
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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.
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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.