I get this question a great deal, and I actually really love it, because it allows me to talk about something I'm passionate about; providing quality care.
Most people are familiar with "typical physical therapy" (which I'm certainly not in the business of offerring). With typical physical therapy, you go to the clinic for a 30-45 minute session, and if you're going to a Pivot or some other corporate owned clinic, you're likely going to be treated alongside 2-3 other patients. You might meet your DPT 1-2x, and then you're handed off to a PT Aid for your supervised recovery. And your insurance covers most of it for you, even if you don't really get better.
I took one look at that model, and walked the other way. Do you want to know why?
Because it's not the best way to provide care. It's the best way to make (companies) a lot of money. Physical therapists don't get paid well at those clinics, they burn out quickly, and there's a lot of turnover, which is hard on the community, and most of all, it's hard on you, the client. It doesn't feel great to show up to rehab, never knowing who you're going to be working with. A lot of "typical physical therapy" these days is supervised exercise by an aid, not by a Doctorate of Physical Therapy, and because they're aiming for volume, not quality, a lot of people don't get better.
I've worked with people with low back pain, rotator cuff injuries, sciatica, who have all tried and "Failed" physical therapy. But honestly, when I hear about what their previous PT did to treat their injuries, I'd say it's more like the physical therapist and that clinic failed them.
Insurance and corporate clinics make money by cramming as many clients into a schedule as possible, and physical therapists scramble to get paid by using generic diagnosis like rotator cuff injury, low back pain, knee pain, ect, to get reimbursed. Even if that's not actually what's going on, because that's what they'll get paid for.
With the cash based model, I cut out the middle man. I was tired of insurance company telling me how I could treat a client, based upon out-dated treatment models from the 1970's. Love you, 70's, but your model of care isn't up to date anymore. That means you get 1-1 time with me, and a full hour to boot, so I can actually dive into what's happening with you, and your body, and understand your goals. We don't have to rush.
Furthermore, insurance often hamstrings physical therapists by using generic goals that they only reimburse for. Which means PTs can't incorporate exercise that actually meets your goals. Who's rehab is this; yours, or your insurance companies? With the cash based model, I get to tailor your program exactly to you. Your therapy, your goals, your body, your care.
I also chose the cash model because I get to treat all of you. If you're diagnosed with a "rotator cuff" injury, or "sciatica," or "knee pain," then you can only get treated for that by corporate PTs. Unfortunately, our body doesn't exist in discrete little boxes. Most knee pain comes from the hip or the ankle, most shoulder injuries come from core and scapula incoordination. I've had ankle problems stemming all the way from the opposite hip. We are complex beings, moving in space, and the insurance model limits the way you, the client can get treated. Ever gone to rehab with a new injury, and they've said they can't treat it with your existing injury?
That sucks, and to put it frankly, dumb. Physical therapy is a healing profession at its best, and I'm committed to making sure all of my clients get to reap the benefits of that.
With the cash based model, you pay me directly, and you get the opportunity to have all of you treated and incorporated, with your customized goals.
And I see far better outcomes at my clinic, and I see them faster, because we actually get to dive deep, understand the root of the problem, and untangle it from there.
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