What Is Direct Access Physical Therapy?

Direct access physical therapy can be used by people who need to see a physical therapist but do not have a prescription or referral from their physician. This is helpful for many reasons and a benefit for New Yorkers as there are restrictions in many states that can hinder a patient receiving treatment at all and in a timely manner. The restrictions can include limitations on time and amount of visits, previous diagnosis requirements, limited patient populations, and may even require a referral for certain types of treatments. The growing cost of healthcare is pushing state legislatures to try and seek solutions for providing health care services to the population while also trying to solve the issue of cost.

A concern for some people may be that the physical therapist is unable to see a patient's underlying medical conditions without a physician’s referral. There is always a chance that your healthcare provider can miss underlying conditions but physical therapists are educated and trained to be able to recognize certain signs and symptoms that may be outside the range of their practice. When this occurs, the physical therapist will be able to refer their patient to other health care providers in order to receive the correct treatment.

With direct access physical therapy, physical therapists are able to create relationships with patients without the reliance of a physician’s referral and it allows people to receive physical therapy with very little interference and without having to wait to be seen by a primary doctor or specialist. If someone wants to receive physical therapy, there should not be anything in the way of them getting it! Contact us at United Rehab Physical Therapy to find out more about direct access physical therapy and how to receive it! With our four locations in suffolk county, we are here to help get you back on your feet and feeling as good as new.