People visit a physical therapist if their body isn’t functioning as normal following an injury, surgery, or illness. If you own a physical therapy (PT) practice, people may have several questions for their first appointment. You should have concise, informative answers about all aspects, from diagnosis and treatment to physical therapy billing. Here are four FAQs about PT every therapist should expect from patients:
1. What Is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy is a form of treatment prescribed for various ailments. If one is recovering from surgery or an accident, therapy can boost their recovery. The therapy focuses on restoring strength, function, range of motion, and general health. Physical therapists can work with different patients, including people recovering from a heart attack, stroke, fall, car crash, and more. The therapy also benefits those with neurological disease, aging, or incontinence.
Read Also: 5 Tips to Convince Your Loved One to Seek Therapy
Physical therapy addresses the changes and ailments affecting normal function and quality of life. As a therapist, you should be able to provide concise answers and go into deeper elaborations if necessary. Your patients will need assurance that physical therapy is the right solution. Make sure they understand the basics of physical therapy, especially concerning mobility, strength, and balance. The goal is to restore physical balance.
2. How Does Billing Work?
Physical therapy patients will want to know how your billing process works before they commit. As a therapist, you should streamline and automate the billing process to make it easy for clients. Working with a physical therapy billing company is popular among leading therapists. Billing companies handle everything from coding and claiming funds to following up on rejected insurance claims.
Working with an experienced biller can help optimize the revenue cycle and reduce pending dues. Patients visiting your clinic should have a straightforward process and transparent information about the services and pricing structure. Patients should know about the copay and coinsurance before the initial evaluation. The goal is to make sure the patients know how much insurance will cover and the amount they’ll pay from pocket.
3. What Do Patients Expect?
Patients expect a lot of things when they visit a physical therapy clinic. Many seek to recover from specific conditions, such as an illness, injury, or medical procedure. Patients also want professional services across the board. Clear communication, 24/7 support, privacy and confidentiality, and security are also top considerations. As a physical therapist, you should know what your patients expect to optimize the business for their needs.
Each patient has unique requirements based on their goals and current condition. People want an experienced therapist who can help them through recovery. Patients also need transparency, especially during medical billing. Leading physical therapy clinics have a growing reputation for high-quality services and seamless billing. Stick to simple solutions that patients are familiar with. You can also review what top competitors use.
4. What Treatments Are Covered?
Your physical therapy clinic should clearly outline all treatments and interventions. Physical therapy treatments span ultrasound therapy, electrical stimulation therapy, heat and cold therapy, and strength and balance exercises. Leading clinics also offer flexibility training, neuromuscular retraining, joint manipulation, manual intervention, and soft tissue manipulation. Physical therapists must determine which treatment will provide the best results.
Some patients may want to know the hardest and easiest parts of being a physical therapist. They prefer working with specialists in specific interventions. Sports personalities may seek out the best therapists experienced in treating sports-related injuries and issues. If you’re an expert helping specific clients and patients, make this information known through your online profiles. You can attract patients from a given niche looking for experts.
Physical Therapy Billing Services
Professional physical therapy services are in high demand. More people know the benefits of an active lifestyle, and physical therapy sessions can help. Therapy can also help people recover from various ailments. People seeking physical therapy are more likely to have a background in the practice or its benefits. As a therapist, your priority is to provide high-quality diagnosis and treatment to help patients attain their goals.
Working with a medical billing company can relieve you from the daunting billing process. You can focus on treating patients while the biller collects and consolidates your revenue. Choose reputable companies that specialize in physical therapy billing and revenue cycle management. Some professional medical billers offer a convenient management dashboard you can use to track revenue and performance for better accountability.
