Patient Center
Patient Center
Getting started with physical therapy is simple.
We'll guide you.
Have questions before you begin? Call us. We’ll talk it through, verify your insurance, and help you feel comfortable with the first steps. This page is a helpful preview of what we’ll cover together—insurance verification, good-faith estimates, paperwork, and what to expect at your first visit. Most importantly: you’ll reach real people who can help.
Start Here
Not sure where to start? Call us—we’ll guide you from the first question to your first appointment.
No Referral Needed
You don’t need to see a doctor first.
A common barrier to starting physical therapy is thinking you need a referral before you can begin. You don’t. If you’re dealing with pain, stiffness, or an injury that’s affecting your daily life, you can come straight to PT and get a clear plan forward. And if your physical therapist believes you should see a physician first (or alongside PT), we’ll tell you and help you navigate that next step.
Worth Saying…
If your situation feels like an emergency—urgent, severe, or “something is really wrong”—we encourage you to seek emergency care. When you’re ready for the next step, we’ll be here.
Insurance Verification
We’re in-network with most major insurance plans—and we’ll verify your benefits.
Back to Health participates with most major insurance plans, including Medicare. Coverage details can vary widely from plan to plan, so the best next step is simple: share your plan details and we’ll verify benefits for you so you know how your plan applies before you come in.
What we need to verify your benefits:
- Insurance carrier name
- Member ID
- Your name (as listed on the card)
- Date of birth
- Phone number on the back of the insurance card
Prefer to do this by phone? Call us—we’ll walk you through it.
Good-Faith Estimates
We’ll help you plan for what to expect financially—in good faith, without overpromising.
We understand that the financial side of healthcare can feel heavy and confusing. We’ll do our best to help you understand what to expect in good faith—and we’ll keep it human and straightforward.
Because insurance benefits and visit-to-visit services can vary, we can’t promise exact numbers for every visit in advance. What we can do is verify your benefits, explain what your plan indicates, and give you a good-faith estimate—especially around your first appointment—so you can move forward feeling comfortable with your decision.
Simple next step:
Call us (or email us) with your plan details and questions—we’ll help you get oriented.
Flexible Ways to Pay
A few ways to plan ahead and keep care affordable.
If you’re thinking about the best way to manage payment for care, we can walk through a few options—based on what feels most comfortable for you.
Options we can discuss:
- Paying over time (for those who prefer smaller payments rather than all at once)
- 0% promotional options (for those who qualify)
- Discounted rates when services are purchased in advance (for patients who want to prepay for multiple visits)
One way we support this:
We partner with CareCredit, a healthcare credit card that can be used specifically for health-related expenses. Many patients use it to spread payments out over time, and it can offer 0% promotional financing when paid according to the promotion terms (approval required). If you’re considering CareCredit, we’ll help you understand how it works and whether it’s a good fit.
Paperwork
It’s online (and yes, we’ll help).
After your first appointment is scheduled, we’ll send an email with a private link to your paperwork (you’ll use your date of birth to access it). Most people complete everything in about 10–15 minutes. We ask you to complete it ahead of time so your visit can stay focused where it should be—with your physical therapist, one-on-one, evaluating what’s going on and mapping out a plan.
Helpful to know:
You can save and come back at any time if you get interrupted.
What to have ready before you start:
- Driver’s license (or ID)
- Insurance card (front/back)
- Physician name + contact information
- If accident-related (auto/workers’ comp/slip & fall): claim number, adjuster info, and attorney contact (if applicable)
If anything feels confusing, you get stuck, or something seems glitchy, call us—we’ll help you work through it.
Your First Appointment
What to expect, from the moment you arrive.
Your first visit is designed to feel like a smooth start—welcoming, clear, and unhurried. You’ll meet with your physical therapist for a focused one-on-one evaluation to understand what’s driving your symptoms, what needs to change, and what success looks like for you.
We’ll also talk through a realistic plan of care that fits your life—your schedule, your goals, and what’s actually doable week to week—so you leave with clarity and a plan you can follow.
A few simple tips:
- Arrive a few minutes early
- Wear comfortable clothing you can move in
If you have recent imaging or a recent imaging report and it’s handy, feel free to bring it (not required)
Want more details? See the FAQs below.
FAQs
Common questions—answered.
First Appointment
What happens during my first visit?
During your first visit you can expect the following:
- Arrive at your appointment with your paperwork completed. This will help to maximize the time that the therapist has with you.
- Provide us with the following:
- Your insurance card(s)
- Your driver’s license
- Any prescription or referral you might have received for physical therapy
- Copies of any MRI or imaging reports
- You will be seen for the initial evaluation by the therapist.
- The therapist will discuss the following:
- Your medical history.
- Your current problems/complaints.
- Pain intensity, what aggravates and eases the problem.
- How this is impacting your daily activities or your functional limitations.
- Your goals for the therapy you will receive.
- Medications, tests, and procedures related to your health.
The therapist will then perform the objective evaluation which may include some of the following:
- Palpation
- Range of Motion (ROM)
- Muscle Testing
- Neurological Screening
- Special Tests
- Posture Assessment
The therapist will then formulate a list of problems you are having, and how to treat those problems. A plan is subsequently developed with the patient’s input. This includes how many times you should see the therapist per week, how many weeks you will need therapy, home programs, patient education, short-term/long-term goals, and what is expected after discharge from therapy. This plan is created with input from you, your therapist, and your doctor.
How should I dress?
You should wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing. If possible, it is ideal to have the area being evaluated and treated exposed – or, at least able to be accessed easily. For example, if you have a knee problem, it is best to wear shorts. For a shoulder problem, a tank top is a good choice, and for low back problems, wear a loose-fitting shirt and pants, again so we can perform a thorough examination.
Of course, life and schedules sometimes make this impossible. For our patient’s convenience, there is a locker-room in the facility (with showers) should you need to come from or go back to work after your appointment.
What do I need to bring with me?
Make sure you bring the following:
- Any referral or prescription for physical therapy that you may have received from you doctor
- If you’re using your insurance to help cover the cost of physical therapy (e.g., medical, auto, etc.), bring your insurance card(s)
- If yours is an auto or injury case, bring your attorney’s and insurance adjuster’s contact information and your claim number if one’s been assigned
- Your driver’s license
- Copies of any MRI or imaging reports
Treatment
How long will each treatment last?
Your first appointment will require a complete evaluation and requires a full 60 minutes. Follow up treatment sessions typically last 30 to 60 minutes per visit.
How many visits will I need?
This is highly variable. You may need one visit or you may need months of care. It depends on your diagnosis, the severity of your impairments, your past medical history, etc. Your progress and plan of care will be regularly assessed and shared with your doctor.
Will I see the same therapist everytime?
Yes. You will be evaluated by a licensed and highly trained physical therapist who will also treat you during subsequent visits. Unlike some practices, where you see someone different each visit, we feel it is very important to develop a one-on-one relationship with you to maintain continuity of care. Your physical therapist will get to know your problems best and will be working closely with you.
Is Physical Therapy painful?
For many patients, one of the primary objectives is pain relief. This is frequently accomplished with hands-on techniques, modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and/or heat or cold therapy. Movement often provides pain relief as well. Your physical therapist will provide you with the appropriate exercises not only for pain relief but to recover range of motion, strength, and endurance.
In some cases, physical therapy techniques can cause discomfort. For example, recovering knee range of motion after total knee replacement or shoulder range of motion after shoulder surgery may be painful. Your physical therapist will utilize a variety of techniques to minimize pain as you progress toward your treatment goals. Communication of the intensity, duration and location of pain is crucial to the process of recovery. With this information your therapist can make the proper adjustments to maintain the appropriate therapeutic intensity to allow a steady, meaningful progression.
Will I get a massage at physical therapy?
Massage may be part of your treatment. Rehabilitation specialists are trained in a variety of techniques that may help with your recovery. There are some common reasons that massage might be used – to facilitate venous return from a swollen area, to relax a tight muscle, or to relieve pain. The therapist will assess your condition and will incorporate it if it will help restore or maintain function.
What will I have to do after physical therapy?
Some patients will need to continue with home exercises. Some may choose to continue with a gym exercise program. Others will complete their rehabilitation and return to normal daily activities. It is important that you communicate your goals to your therapist, so he/she can develop a custom program for you.
Patients of Back To Health have a unique advantage in that they have the option to continue their wellness program in the same environment that they performed their physical therapy, as a member of the Fitness Clinic or as a Back to Health gym member.
What happens if my problem or pain returns?
Flare ups are not uncommon. If you have a flare up (exacerbation), give us a call. We may suggest you come back to see us, return to your doctor, or simply modify your daily activities or exercise routine.
In fact, one unique advantage of our practice is our location within the Fitness Clinic. The Fitness Clinic is a long-standing limited-membership gym known for their unintimidating “small-club” environment. This gives our patients the option to continue the exercise routine designed by their therapist independently at the same facility where their therapist practices. As a member, you have access to both The Fitness Clinic’s specialized trainers and your therapist to answer questions and consult on changes to routines – all to help prevent reinjury or potential flare-ups.
Physical Therapy
Why is physical therapy a good choice?
More than half of all Americans are suffering from pain, but struggle to find a safe and effective way to minimize or eliminate it.
Doctor-prescribed medications for pain are appropriate in some cases, but they only mask the pain without addressing the cause of it. These medications also carry with them risks that many people are not comfortable taking – including addiction, depression, withdrawal and overdose.
That’s why the CDC recommends safer alternatives like physical therapy to manage pain. “Nonpharmacologic therapy and nonopioid pharmacologic therapy are preferred for chronic pain,” the guidelines state (“CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain – United States, 2016″ – March 15, 2016).
Physical therapists are well equipped to not only treat the symptom of pain, but also its source. Physical therapists are experts at treating neuro-musculoskeletal disorders through healthy movement, hands-on care, and helping patients understand their bodies. What’s more, increasing physical activity you can also reduce your risk of other chronic diseases and cognitive problems.
What do physical therapists do?
You have probably heard of the profession of physical therapy. Maybe you have had a conversation with a friend about how physical therapy helped them recover after an injury or surgery. You might even have been treated by a physical therapist yourself.
Many people are familiar with physical therapists’ work helping patients with orthopedic problems, such as rehabilitating from knee surgeries, in order to reduce pain and regain function. Others may be aware of the treatment that physical therapists provide to assist patients recovering from a stroke (e.g., assisting them with recovering use of their limbs and walking again). However, physical therapists can – and do, for many – play a significant part in helping people maintain the active lifestyles they enjoy.
Maintaining performance at work, taking care of our families, enjoying recreational activity, and sharing important occasions with loved ones are all valuable components of healthy living. When these cherished aspects of life are threatened by injury, surgery or natural aging, physical therapy helps restore what has been lost.
Because physical therapists are experts in healthy movement and function, they are not confined to only treating people after surgery or severe dysfunction. A large part of a physical therapist’s role is directed at preventing injury, loss of movement, and even surgery through early conservative care. For example, physical therapists can consult to improve the design of the workplace, in order to reduce the risk of overusing certain muscles or developing low back pain while working. They also provide services to recreational athletes, such as golfers or tennis players, to screen for potential problems and institute preventive exercise programs. Or, oftentimes, they address issues with gait and balance in order to prevent falls that can result in severe complications and permanent limitations.
The cornerstones of physical therapy are manual (“hands-on”) intervention, therapeutic exercises and functional movement training. In its best moments, physical therapy relieves pain, restores motion and then increases strength to make that movement meaningful in real world situations. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, a good physical therapist educates – enabling patients to own their success and maintain it for years to come.
Do I need a doctor's referral for physical therapy?
The state of Florida allows for you to see a physical therapist without getting a prescription from a physician, allowing you to get direct access to a physical therapist. If you require care beyond 30 days, then the therapist will refer you to/back to a physician.
Seeing a physical therapist first is safe and could save you hundreds – or even thousands – of dollars. Click here for details.
Can I go to any physical therapy clinic?
As a patient, you have the right to choose any physical therapy clinic. Our practice is a provider for most insurance plans.
The best thing to do is give us a call and we will work to answer all of your questions.
Why I should choose a private practice physical therapist?
Ultimately, you need to find a practice where you feel most comfortable. There are good, qualified therapists practicing in all settings, you just want to make sure that they have all the advantages and support they need to provide the quality treatment that you need.
Often times, private practices are better positioned to offer patients one-on-one, personalized treatment. When choosing a physical therapy practice at which to receive your treatment, consider whether they value the following:
- Establishing the optimal number of visits suited to your personal circumstances? Or do you get the sense that every condition like yours is offered a plan of care with a set number of visits?
- Dedicated attention to you during each appointment? Or will you be spending a good deal of time left unattended while you complete a rotation on a machine?
- Continuity of the same therapist treating you during all of your visits? Or will different therapists be treating you at each visit throughout your plan of care?
We have built our practice to ensure that the same physical therapist can spend personalized, dedicated time with each patient at each visit. We believe that we can provide you with the highest quality of care available and will work closely with you to meet your personal goals.
Insurance & Payments
Will insurance cover my treatment?
In most cases, insurance will cover your treatment. We accept auto accident, personal injury and most health insurance plans, including Medicare. However, we recommend you call or email us directly so that we can determine your specific coverage. Our Office Manager will work with you to ensure you maximize the benefits of any insurance that could apply to your circumstance (e.g., medical, auto, etc.). Visit our insurance and payments page to find out about accepted insurance plans and other payment options.
How will I be billed for anything my insurance doesn't cover?
Patient responsibilities (e.g., copays, coinsurance, cash payments, etc.) are due at the time of service.
Does Medicare cap the number of visits I have with a physical therapist?
In 2018, limits on how much Medicare pays for physical therapy services in one calendar year (also called “therapy caps” or “therapy cap limits”) were eliminated by Congress, recognizing that treatment often allows older Americans to maintain their independence and remain at home rather than go to a nursing home or other long-term care facility. As long as treatment is deemed medically necessary, Medicare will continue to pay for services.
Questions? Call us—we’re here.
If you have questions about getting started, insurance verification, paperwork, or what to expect at your first visit, give us a call. You’ll reach a real person who can help—quickly, kindly, and without runaround. Prefer email? That works too.
