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Direct Access

What is Direct Access?

Direct access to physical therapy (PT) is your opportunity to be evaluated and treated by a licensed physical therapist without first seeing your physician for a referral. Once therapy is approved by your insurance company, direct access saves time, thereby expediting your treatment, relief and recovery. It is not our intention to replace physicians. In fact, we work closely with physicians to provide the best care possible to our patients.

 Who is it for?

Anyone requiring physical therapy.  Please note that a script is needed for patients seeking dry needling and concussion management.

How do you use it?

You are able to call the physical therapy clinic directly to schedule your initial evaluation. We verify your insurance coverage before your initial evaluation. Once evaluated by a physical therapist, you will be allotted 30 calendar days to receive treatment before state law requires that a prescription be written by a physician. (The old rule of 14 business days has been extended to 30 calendar days. So we can now treat a patient for longer without needing a script.) The physical therapist will provide a plan of care to your physician. Once this plan of care is signed, this document can serve as your prescription for continued PT. The physical therapist will initiate and follow the progress of the prescription being obtained; however, in some cases, you will need to assist the physician in signing the plan of care.

Benefits of using Direct Access:

  • It provides accessibility to, and timely treatment, by a physical therapist.
  • It promotes optimal outcomes and recovery.
  • It relieves your pain and restores your quality of life without delay. (Waiting for a physician to order physical therapy can delay care and can result in higher costs, increased number of visits and decreased functional outcomes.)
  • It provides savings in the overall health care system by reducing physician visits and testing, while freeing the physicians to devote their time to patients who require the skill of a physician instead of the skill of a physical therapist.