Physical Therapy Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Driven PT different than typical PT?
Driven Physical Therapy is one of very few clinics that has begun to treat with solely DPT’s. This means that patients will work with the therapist that has obtained the highest degree in their field and is committed just to you for the time that you are with them. Driven Physical Therapy is adamant about taking your treatment to the next level and beyond. Patients will be given a thorough evaluation in order to come up with the most efficient and appropriate plan of care. Patients will be treated with current, evidence-based manual techniques, modalities, and movement therapy in order to get them back to the life they want to live. As a profession, physical therapy should always be striving for the previous statement, but Driven Physical Therapy feels that there is more beyond just the physical therapy treatments.
This is why our clinic is located in one of the premiere training facilities in downtown Austin, Driven Performance Training. Our goal as the Driven team is to provide a continuum of treatment from start to finish. That means we will be with you from the initial injury/dysfunction/surgery/etc, and then help you take that far beyond where you started. Most physical therapy clinics will take you back to baseline, or where you were prior to your injury/surgery/etc. We feel it is grossly inappropriate to not provide the option for patients to keep the ball rolling on their improvement. Our two teams will communicate appropriately throughout the whole process in order to see the patient through the most efficient and effective therapy they will receive.
What does “out-of-network provider” mean?
Within the insurance system, there are two different kinds of providers of medical services: In-network and out-of-network. With In-network providers, the insurance companies have pre-approved the provider to render services to patients, with the insurance company agreeing to reimburse the provider for their services. To do this, providers are given some sort of reimbursement schedule/guidelines that they must abide by in order to get compensated by the insurance company. Conversely, out-of-network providers render services to patients, and then it is up to the patient to request reimbursement from their insurance company (if they so choose).
Why do we operate as out-of-network providers?
By taking the insurance company’s leverage on the provider out of play, being an out-of-network provider allows us to evaluate and treat as we deem most appropriate for the patient. We aren’t bound by the treatment codes that some insurance companies like, while others will refuse reimbursement if used. Simply put, this allows us to treat the patient within the fullest extent of our scope of practice, with the patient’s best interest in mind. At this time, regardless of whether you are seeing an in-network or out-of-network provider, you still need a referral for physical therapy in order to be treated by a physical therapist in Texas.
What should I expect?
Once you obtain a referral, you can expect to receive a comprehensive evaluation on your first visit that will allow us to come up with the most appropriate plan of care for you. The evaluation and subsequent treatments will always be one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). The sessions will last either an hour, or thirty minutes, depending on what is necessary. Your session will consist of anything from manual therapy and stretching, other appropriate modalities (such as dry needling or e-stim), always finishing with some sort of movement therapy in order to facilitate the function that is needed by the patient. You can always expect to have some sort of home exercises to complete, because the therapy doesn’t stop as soon as our session is over!
Why one-on-one?
We believe that a one-on-one therapy is the most ethical way to treat the patients we see in this setting. You are coming for the skills and training of a DPT, so that is what our patients will get. We respect your time and desire to get back to the activities of life that you enjoy. We believe that we can be more efficient with our focused hour once or twice a week with you, as opposed to three times a week where we spend an hour with two or three patients at once with assistants or techs filling in the gaps.
Why do you need a referral, and who can refer you?
The current legislation in the state of Texas requires a referral for physical therapy in order for a patient to be treated. There is often some confusion in that you can be evaluated by a physical therapist without a referral, but they are unable to treat without that referral. Know that there is legislation that has passed that will allow Direct Access to patients that will negate the need for a referral, but that will not go into effect until September 1st, 2019. A family physician, an internal medicine physician, aurologist, OB/ GYN,Urogynecologist, a surgeon, Physician’s Assistant, Nurse Practitioner and any other medical specialist can refer for physical therapy. You can download the Driven Physical Therapy referral form here to send over to your referral source, or ask for their office to send over whatever form they use. We know that this seems like an unnecessary step, but this creates some checks and balances for the medical system that is intended to protect the patient.
Why movement and manual therapy?
Current research has shown the effectiveness of manual, hands-on therapeutic techniques in order to improve range of motion, muscular performance, and decrease pain and sensitivity. Research has also shown that the best way to improve someone’s performance with a given activity is to practice that given activity. This might seem like common sense, but it is a vital part of the patient’s therapy and home exercise program. It is our philosophy that we use both manual and movement therapy in order to improve the function of the individual parts of the body, then teach the body with both specific and global movement (i.e. movement incorporating all parts of the body). The idea is that we show the body how to work together again in order to carry out whatever activity the patient is aiming to get back to.
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