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FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)
Welcome to our patient FAQ section. The purpose this section is to answer some
of the questions you may have and to give you an idea of the questions other
patients have asked. However, if you have a question of a more immediate or
personal nature that you want answered before you arrive for your visit, please
contact us.
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What should I expect on my first
visit?
- How long will my visit last?
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Will I need follow-up or maintenance care?
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What if I need to return to physical therapy?
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Is it ok to ask my doctor about physical therapy?
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Will my insurance cover physical therapy?
- How do I arrange an appointment?
- What should I wear?
- What should I bring with me?
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What if I have an increase in symptoms?
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Who chooses which physical therapist I go to?
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Why should I choose physical therapy?
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What office policies should I be aware of?
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What is my responsibility in physical therapy?
- Do you accept liens?
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How do I receive Physical Therapy services?
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Do you have a list of participating insurance companies?
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What do I need to bring with me for my first appointment?
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What time should I arrive for my first visit?
- What is your address?
What should I expect on my first visit?
An initial evaluation will be performed by a physical therapist. This person
will be your primary therapist and is responsible for setting up your goals and
treatment plan. After your evaluation is completed, some portion of the
treatment plan will be started on the first visit. There is always ample time
allotted to answer any questions you may have regarding your condition. At the
conclusion of your visit, you will be asked to schedule follow-up appointments
based on your needs and availability with the front office staff.
How long will my visit last?
Treatment time will vary according to what the physical therapist finds in
the evaluation. There is no specific time limit for physical therapy. Whatever
is found to be appropriate during the evaluation will become part of the
patient's program and the program will be updated as appropriate. A typical
evaluation will last approximately 60 minutes and treatments vary from 30-60
minutes based on diagnosis. These times may vary according to the severity of
the individual and how much individual attention they require.
Will I need follow-up or maintenance care?
The answer depends entirely on the physical therapist's evaluation to
determine your diagnosis and prognosis.
What if I need to return to physical therapy?
If you have a recurrent problem after your discharge from physical therapy,
how/if you will return to physical therapy will depend on a number of factors.
It would depend if it was a re-injury of the same specific problem, how long it
has been since you were last in physical therapy, how long it's been since you
saw the physician (if a physician referred you), and many other factors. In
general, if you are discharged from physical therapy and feel the need to
return, you should contact the office and the therapist will review your chart
and call back to discuss with you what should be done, depending on the problem
you are having.
Is it OK to ask my doctor about physical therapy?
Absolutely. If you have a problem that you think can be helped with physical
therapy, feel free to give us a call. After discussing with you the specific
problem you present with, we can give you a better idea if it is something that
is manageable with physical therapy. You can also give your doctor a call. If he
or she is not sure, he or she is welcome to contact us as well. In today's
healthcare, if you feel physical therapy can be helpful to you, you will need to
stress your feelings to the doctor you are seeing.
Will my insurance cover physical therapy?
Although most insurance companies do cover physical therapy, what they cover
specifically varies greatly. Please review our insurance participation section
on this website, and if you have additional questions regarding your specific
insurance give us a call at (907) 457-7678.
How do I arrange an appointment?
If your physician gives you a referral to physical therapy, simply call our
office for an appointment. Our clinic hours and location are explained on the
‘location and hours’ page of this website. Our office staff will get all the
necessary information from you and assist you with an appointment. You can
also leave a message after hours and we will call you back the next morning.
What should I wear?
It is advisable to dress comfortably to allow access to the involved area.
Shorts are recommended for knee, ankle, or foot conditions. Women can wear a
halter top or sports tank top for neck or shoulder conditions. You may be asked
to wear a medical gown opened in the back to expose the neck or low back.
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What should I bring with me?
For your first visit you will need your insurance card, and any paperwork that
was sent to you that needed to be filled out. If you have any operative reports,
MRI or X-ray results, and you may bring those as well, but they are not
necessary. Additionally, if you are utilizing any type of brace, splint, or
crutches, those should come with you.
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What if I have an increase in symptoms?
If you have increased symptoms please call your physical therapist. When you
call the office, please be sure you explain to the office staff that you are
having an increase in symptoms. The office staff will pull your chart and
contact your physical therapist or a covering physical therapist. We will be
able to review the information and will give you a call back that same day.
After we discuss the case with you, we will be able to give you guidelines as to
what would be appropriate to reduce your symptoms, whether you need to come in
our office, or if you should contact or follow up with your physician. It is
best to call us prior to calling your physician as if a change in symptoms has
occurred, it is important that we fax the physician a report so that he can be
up to date on your care when you see him for a follow-up visit.
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Who chooses which physical therapist I go to?
Oftentimes, your physician will give you a recommendation or a listing of
physical therapists in your area. Sometimes your insurance company will guide
you with regard to who is "in network" for your insurance plan. Ultimately, the
decision as to where you receive your care is up to you. If you have a specific
request, you need to let your physician or insurance company know. If we are not
in network for your insurance company most plans have out-of-network benefits
that will allow you your choice in physical therapy. If you contact our
office we can explain what your costs for out-of-network charges will be for
you. In most cases the difference is negligible for the amount of time
that you will directly spend with a physical therapist in our clinic in
comparison as we adjust our schedules to spend only one-on-one time with all of
our patients.
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Why should I choose physical therapy?
In physical therapy, the goals should be to resolve your problem, not just
temporarily relieve it. Although medication and other forms of treatment can be
helpful in relieving symptoms, physical therapy produces a long term result. The
physician may opt to utilize medication in conjunction with physical therapy
depending on your diagnosis. Additionally, physical therapy unlike some other
forms of treatment, is not designed to go on as a maintenance program. Because
we look for resolution, maintenance is not generally necessary.
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What office policies should I be aware of?
If you have to reschedule an appointment, please call us. We have an answering
machine and will return your call to reschedule you as soon as possible.
If you will be late, please call and we'll see if you will still be able to
receive your treatment as scheduled.
Missed appointments are discouraged. They also become part of your medical
record. Multiple missed visits may result in discharge from care, with a note to
your physician.
Before returning to your physician, let us know and we will let him/her know how
you are doing via a written progress report.
Payment due at time of service: your co-pay (if applicable) and any supplies
that you may desire to purchase is due at each visit, please.
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What is my responsibility in physical therapy?
You are our partner in your recovery. Your physical therapist cannot do it
without you! We ask that all patients and clients cooperate by following through
with their home exercise programs and instructions, as this is extremely
important in expediting your recovery. Please help us to help YOU.
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Do you accept liens?
In most cases we can accept liens, as long as the lien is for a personal injury or automobile accident
claim. In this case we will work directly with your motor vehicle
insurance and then they will be responsible for billing the responsible party. Sorry, we do NOT accept Worker's Compensation liens. Please call our
office for more information.
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How do I receive Physical Therapy services?
There are three primary ways to receive Physical Therapy:
1.) The first of
which is fee for service, which in general cash payment for services rendered to
you. Our clinic has a significantly reduced rate for those individuals and
insurances that are interested same day payment for service.
2.) You can also
receive a referral from your physician and then schedule an appointment for
evaluation and treatment. 3.) The third way of receiving Physical Therapy is
called 'Direct access', this method is available through a large number of
insurance companies as they do not require a referral for patients to be seen by
a PT.
It would be our pleasure to check on your benefits if you contact us
and provide the insurance phone number and policy number.
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Do you have a list of participating
insurance companies?
Click here for a list of Participating Insurance Companies.
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What do I need to bring with me for my first appointment?
You will need three (3) or four (4) things:
1. Your Insurance card
2. Prescription
from your physician for Physical Therapy
3. If you have an
insurance that requires a referral, your must have a written referral form
from your primary care physician
4. Payment for
first visit: co-payment, deductible based on your insurance plan
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What time should I arrive for my first visit?
It is recommended that you arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment
time to complete all the necessary paperwork.
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What is your address?
3407 Airport Way
Fairbanks, AK 99709
We are
located in the Washington Plaza on the first floor.
Click here for a map
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