Direct Access for Physical Therapy: Physician’s Prescriptions are No Longer Needed!
Take the first step in living your best life by taking advantage of Direct Access for Physical Therapy. In August of 2018, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 4643 into law which allows Illinois residents to obtain physical therapy evaluations and treatments without a doctor’s referral. We at 1st Choice Physical Therapy believe Direct Access will speed the path to relief and healing. We choose to maintain excellent communication with primary care physicians or specialists to ensure all concerned parties are in agreement with providing you the best and most effective treatment for any condition. As a professional courtesy to you and your physician, we will be asking permission to send a copy of the initial evaluation to the primary care physician or doctor of your choice. If you do not have a preferred physician and it is determined that your condition requires further medical attention, we will help connect you to a trusted local physician as we have great relationships with specialized practitioners.
1st Choice physical therapists are medical professionals whose training, education and experience make them qualified to conduct initial evaluations to determine if physical therapy is appropriate for your circumstances. Our friendly front office staff will contact insurance companies prior to the first appointment to verify benefits and give you an idea of out-of-pocket financial costs. Of course, it is always recommended that you do the same to confirm before beginning treatment.
Direct Access removes the barriers to physical therapy and provides the following benefits:
- Saves time. Begin treatment with 1st Choice Physical Therapy immediately instead of waiting for a physician’s appointment and referral. Studies have shown that direct access therapy services result in fewer general practitioner visits and hospital admissions.
- Saves money. Direct Access lowers total health care costs by as much as 30 percent, and in some cases can reduce patient out-of-pocket costs by as much as 80 percent. Early therapy intervention eliminates the need for unnecessary medication, surgery, or imaging.
- Speeds recovery. Research indicates that Direct Access patients had better outcomes at discharge and achieve their goals in fewer visits than those who waited for a physician referral. Patients also reported a higher degree of satisfaction with therapy through Direct Access.
- Reduces opioid use. As physical therapy is a non-addictive treatment for managing pain, studies have shown that there is an incredible 90 percent reduction in opioid use when consumers have direct access to physical therapy.
