So Direct Access. What is Direct Access? Did you know that until recently you had to see your Primary physician before you could go and see a specialist? Before I explain what Direct Access is, let us take a look at the toll this antiquated system takes on your time and wallet…
Say you over-do it with the yard work or play an extra nine holes of golf over the weekend. Monday morning comes, and when you roll out of bed and sit up, “Ouch!” Your back is stiff as a board and you can barely stand up. After a hot shower it’s feeling better, but still not great. So you say to yourself, “I’ll give my doc a call. He will make this right.” Normal reaction. You call first thing Monday morning and Linda, the pleasant receptionist says, “I’m sorry, we are not available until 2:30 on Thursday.” You make your appointment and try and walk it off until then because that is all you can do, right? The pain is not getting worse, but nor is it getting any better. Thursday finally comes, and your doctor says that you should go see an orthopedic specialist. Reach into your pocket and pull out 40 dollars for your co-pay. Bye Linda!!
You call the orthopedic office and the once again pleasant receptionist says, “I’m sorry, we’re not available until 2:45 on Friday.” You say, “Tomorrow? Great!” “No,” she says with a smile, “two weeks from tomorrow.” With no other options, you make your appointment and continue to hobble about your life. It’s Friday, and you meet with your orthopedist, and she says that a solid rehabilitation program is what you need to lessen the pain in your back. You start to cry a little to yourself as you pull out 60-75 dollars for your specialist co-pay. Cha-Ching!
In short, it’s been three weeks, you emptied your wallet to doctors who were of no assistance, and the pain in your back that caused all of this is still there, strong as ever.
I could go on and on with endless varying examples, but I think you get the picture. Direct Access enables you to skip over that costly hassle, and right on to the specialist of your choice. Foot hurts? Pain in your lower back? Pain in your neck? Husband being a pain in your…bad example, moving on. If you are having pain or another symptom that is limiting your ability to function normally, then the right move is to call upon your physical therapists! We can take your call 7am-7pm Monday through Friday! Hurt on Thursday? Give us a call and we will get you in the very next day. We have a 24-hour policy that GUARANTEES you an appointment the next day, with no problems, no questions asked by your healthcare program! We are here for you now, not three weeks later and 100+ bucks out of your wallet. Ouch.
So here’s a quick recap on why Direct Access is perfect for your needs!
– It saves you time. Saving you time is also beneficial to your injury. The quicker we can see you, the faster you will recover, and the faster you can get back to living your life pain free. “Don’t wait to rehabilitate, or it may be too late.”
– It saves you money. Saving money is always a plus, and just think of the co-pays you lost in the example mentioned above WITHOUT Direct Access.
– Convenience. All but three states have Direct Access. Here is a map of all Direct Access supporters. Direct Access Map
Article on Direct Access from the American Physical Therapy Association It’s a good read…
There ya have it folks. I hope that this has shed a little light on the Direct Access situation for you. And remember, you don’t need to wait. We are right here for you, from the time you come in, until you are feeling pain free. I will see you all next time for another installment. Thanks for reading. 🙂
Ian G. Of Robbins
