Frequently Asked Questions
1.
Where are you located?
We are located behind Murray’s Buffet & Grill, in the same parking lot as Smart Fix.
2.
Do I need a referral to make an appointment?
No, you don’t need a referral. In the state of Missouri, you can see a Physical Therapist without a referral.
Missouri Senate Bill 51, effective August 28, 2023
3.
Will I see multiple physical therapists?
You will receive one on one care from the same physical therapist each appointment.
4.
What will happen at my first appointment?
Your therapist will do an evaluation, which can include testing your strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and posture. They may also manually test the mobility of your joints and muscles. They will help you determine your goals and develop a treatment plan for you, which often includes some exercises to do at home. As your condition improves, your therapist will advance your exercises at these visits and perform manual therapy as needed.
5.
What Should I Wear to My First Appointment and how long are each appointments?
Comfortable work out clothing or loose-fitting clothes are best. Appointments are scheduled at 45 minutes blocks but may last up to 60 minutes.
6.
What is Dry needling and how is it different than acupuncture?
The main difference is that dry needling is a Western medicine technique targeting specific muscle trigger points for pain relief, while acupuncture is a Traditional Chinese Medicine practice focusing on balancing energy (chi) flow along meridians.
Dry needling providers will use acupuncture needles to target muscle/trigger points to help release muscle tension, reduce pain to help improve overall movement and function.
7.
Why should I choose a private practice Physical Therapist?
Would you prefer treatment from a Physical Therapist who works for a physician or one that owns a private practice? We leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions but here are some facts from three different studies:
- Results indicate there were more treatments, and the cost was greater for those patients that attended a physician-owned Physical Therapy practice vs. private physical therapy practice (visits per patient were 39% to 45% higher in physician-owned clinics; and both gross and net revenue per patient were 30% to 40% higher in physician-owned clinics)1.
- Results indicate that licensed and non-licensed Physical Therapy providers spent less time with each patient in physician-owned clinics, and more often, Physical Therapy Assistants were substituted for Physical Therapists.2
- Results concluded that “Therapists who had treated patients through Direct Access were significantly more likely to believe that Direct Access had benefited them professionally and benefited their patients than were Therapists who had not practiced through Direct Access.”3
At Proactive, we believe we can provide you with the highest quality of care available and do it in a cost-effective manner.4 You will work closely with your Physical Therapist and will be managed by the same Physical Therapist from the beginning to the end of your experience with us.
- Mitchell, J., Scott, E., Physician Ownership of Physical Therapy Services: Effects on Charges, Utilization, Profits, and Service Characteristics, Journal of the American Medical Association, 1992.
- “Joint Ventures Among Health Care Providers in Florida,” State of Florida Health Care Cost Containment Board, 1991.
- Domholdt E, Durchholz AG. Direct access use by experienced therapists in states with direct access. Phys Ther. 1992 Aug;72(8):569-74.
- Federal Office of the Inspector General May 1, 2006 – This report calls into question billing processes done by non-physical therapist owned practices.