Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Save Money Today with Direct Access to Physical Therapy!


Small business of the year award 2008



Over the past decade, so much has been made of the costs of heath care.  In a world of escalating costs, the value of Physical Therapy goes beyond the borders of your local hospital.  Modern, efficient, and educated, the profession has made great strides towards vision 2020, with the autonomy and direct access of a professional. http://www.apta.org/vision2020/

By 2020: "Guided by integrity, life-long learning, and a commitment to comprehensive and accessible health programs for all people, physical therapists and physical therapist assistants will render evidence-based, direct access services throughout the continuum of care and improve quality of life for society. They will provide culturally sensitive care distinguished by trust, respect, and an appreciation for individual differences" 

AT PTW, we support direct access.  With 8 Doctors of Physical Therapy and 8 of our Physical Therapist with Direct Access privileges in the state of Pennsylvania, we offer same day appointments or next day appointments with a direct access provider.  With the close relationships gained over the past 10 years with the medical community, we can save you time and money by referring you to a specialist if needed for injury management beyond our scope of practice.

Published by the World Confederation for Physical Therapy
http://www.wcpt.org/node/34062, direct access research shows:
  • Direct access and self-referral puts patients/clients in control of their care
  • Patients/clients who refer themselves to physical therapy:
    • are more proactive
    • are more autonomous in making health decisions
    • take less time off work
    • return to work sooner
    • are more likely complete a course of treatment
    • are more interested in self management
    • more satisfied with their care
  • Direct access and self-referral saves money through:
    • reducing costs of seeing other health professionals: general practitioners/family physicians
    • less prescribing
    • less investigations
    • less secondary care
    • reducing costs to society through time off work
    • less administration costs
  • Direct access and self-referral does not lead to increased demands for services if they are adequately resourced
  • Direct access and self-referral is not just appropriate for musculoskeletal services but across areas of practice
  • Research to date has focused on musculoskeletal patients
Consider a call to PTW today for any of our 4 locations for an ache, a pain, a loss of function, or any injury that limits your abilities.  We'll be sure to see you today for relief tomorrow!

Robert Babb, PT, MBA
President, PTW Inc.