New law makes it easier for patients to seek treatment from a Physical Therapist without a referral from an MD.
Direct Access to Physical Therapy can speed up the time it takes patients to receive treatment during the vital first few weeks after an injury.
By: Dr. Alexander PT,DPT,OCS,MDT,CSCS
In the state of Florida, it is no longer necessary to see a Medical Doctor to initially prescribe treatment for Physical Therapy. This law was passed to directly benefit you, the patient, in getting speedy treatment for whatever musculoskeletal injury or dysfunction you may have. As a consumer, you can directly access Physical Therapy services for up to 30 days without a prescription. This speeds up the time it takes to get you the treatment you need during the vital first few weeks after injury.
I consistently see patients who are 6+ weeks removed from an injury before they finally get a chance to get in for therapy. When I ask them why it took so long I hear stories of three-week waits for initial appointments with the physician, followed by an additional one to two-week wait period to receive an MRI. When the patient finally returns to the physician following the MRI they have often prescribed a pill and told to try Physical Therapy. Why would one wait this long?! This long wait cuts out on vital stages of the healing and remodeling process after an injury where Physical Therapy is key.
Your Doctor of Physical Therapy is the best-equipped health care practitioner to provide the treatment you need for a musculoskeletal injury. We specialize in ensuring a full return to function without lingering issues. The majority of patients we see at Fox Physical Therapy start to see positive results within the first two weeks of treatment. If you have not been to Physical Therapy recently or have been left with disappointing results in the past I challenge you to give Fox Physical Therapy a try. Dr. Fox and I, Dr. Alexander, are Board-Certified Orthopedic Specialists and our passion is getting you back to the pain-free life you want as quickly as possible.
They say Health is Wealth. After working with an entire spectrum of patients ranging from the ages of two months to 106 years I couldn’t agree more. Don’t put off an injury until it becomes a chronic issue because you don’t want to deal with the hassle of waiting weeks to see an MD only to be prescribed a pill and an MRI. At Fox Physical Therapy you will receive personalized treatment that directly addresses the root cause of the problem.
To take advantage of Direct Access give us a call today. We will set up an initial evaluation and figure out exactly what is causing your pain. If you have a Primary Care Physician or favorite MD that you are concerned about being left out of your treatment, worry not. You provide us the name and we will ensure that our initial evaluation is faxed over to them in order to maintain lines of communication and a complete medical record. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Has direct access to physical therapy benefited you or a friend? We would love to hear about your success stories. Leave a comment below, call us at 305-735-8901, or click here to schedule an appointment.