What Is the Best Way to Pick Your Physical Therapy Clinic? Coastal Wellness Centers Coral Springs Offers 5 Important Considerations

Whether it is Sports Rehabilitation, Chiropractic Care, Acupuncture, or some much-needed Physical Therapy, it can be a bit overwhelming for a patient faced with the difficult decision of choosing the best practice to help them personally. Coastal Wellness Centers of Coral Springs wants to help. After all, the best customer is an educated customer, and we prefer all our clients to be aware that all clinics are not equal, and you have options.

• Referrals are not required

Patients are often surprised to hear they have a choice on where to go for physical therapy. Of course, if your doctor has a PT department as part of their practice, they will likely refer you to that clinic. That does not mean you have no choice. And that is even if you need to see a doctor first. Depending on where you live and what sort of insurance you have, patients can see a PT directly without having to see a physician first. A trained physical therapist will be able to assess and recommend if an MD visit is even in order.

• Research the Quality of Care

There are varying components to impact the quality of care provided by a therapist and clinic. The following questions should be addressed before committing to receiving care or even scheduling an appointment.

1. Who are they? Are they physical therapists (PTs) or physical therapy assistants (PTAs)? Will you be working with the same therapist each time (which would be best for continuity of care) or will you be part of a rotation of treatment? Does the PT have experience treating your specific condition?
2. How many patients does the PT see each hour? If they treat more than 1-2 patients each hour, it is likely a high-volume model, reducing the amount of time you will spend with the PT directly, which means you should probably keep looking.
3. What is their setup like? Does the clinic have the equipment you need to meet your goals? If you walk in and they have a single table with cuff weights and resistance tubing, you may want to keep looking.

• What is the Cost? 

It really isn’t the driving factor for choosing a clinic, but it is still an important consideration for a few reasons.

1. Verify with the clinic ahead of time to see if they take your insurance. They should tell you upfront if you are in or out of network (which shouldn’t be discouraging if you are out of network, as some out-of-network plans are not much more costly than in-network. Also, sometimes going out of network can even be less expensive, as a quality clinic can rehabilitate you in half the time).
2. If you have a deductible, you should know how much has been met. Some folks have opted for higher deductible insurance plans because they are less expensive, but a higher deductible means you will be paying out of pocket until the deductible is met. You should research the cost-per-visit if that’s the case.
3. Co-pays have increased, so it is important for the clinic to let you know your financial responsibility upfront.

Keep in mind, what might seem more expensive can actually be less costly when you calculate the total treatment performed in a quality clinic. If you’re paying more per visit, but the clinic you choose makes you better faster? That’s just a smart investment.

• Location Location Location

When recovering from an injury or surgery, there are a number of simple things that suddenly became extraordinarily important. While it would be helpful if the clinic is nearby, you do not want to sacrifice the quality of service for convenience. And there are other things like is the parking close or will you be expected to walk a long way? Is there a valet service (covered by the clinic)? 

• Bottom line? Ask around

Do some research. Use the internet. Read the reviews of the clinic. Review the staff bios and see what services are offered and what sort of patients they see. An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.

Contact Us Today!

To learn more about how we can help you, give us a call at 954-752-2950, or email us at coastalwellnesscenters@gmail.com, and we can get you started in the physical therapy program that’s right for you!