Hello Everyone,
Happy New Year! This last year we encountered many changes in our healthcare system both nationally and locally. Healthcare reform created a need for citizens to gain a base knowledge of health insurance plans, and their utilization, in order to choose plans to fit their needs. Often, in order to gain this knowledge, they are bombarded with information from a plethora of sources and websites. In this newsletter we do not hope to add onto that barrage, but rather to give you a bit of information regarding your access to physical therapy care. With local primary/urgent care clinics like Geneva Health closing it is even more important to understand your access to physical therapy as a primary treatment source for orthopedic pain. Basically, we want you to know we are here for you.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at sarahm@taiweb.com.

I hope you have a safe and wonderful 2016!

Sarah Macomber PT, DPT
Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist
Certified Athletic Trainer
Clinic Director

Patients today must take an active role in managing their own health care. To do this, you need to know about your options and your rights as a patient. Patients across the country are becoming better educated and demanding more options from their medical providers and health insurance companies. The right to physical therapy services is an important option, and it is your right as a patient.

State laws provide direct access to licensed physical therapists without a physician’s referral or prescription. That means that as a consumer of healthcare, you can seek medical treatment for your musculoskeletal issues directly from the physical therapist of your choosing. This places physical therapy as a first line provider for your musculoskeletal health.

What does Direct Access mean for you?

• Immediate evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment from your physical therapist for your musculoskeletal injuries without the delay of visiting another healthcare professional

• Immediate consultation with your physical therapist to determine if therapy is needed or if further examination by another healthcare practitioner is warranted

• Strong potential for decreased healing time for your injury due to receiving treatment without delay

• Freedom to choose a physical therapist as you would an MD, DO, chiropractor, dentist, or other healthcare professional

• Continuity of care as you return to your physical therapist for all of your musculoskeletal needs, including relief from injury as well as prevention and overall wellness

With the New Year here already, it is time to think about your insurance coverages and limitations. Most insurance plans start over with the New Year, and it is important to understand what is and is not covered. Sometimes this can be as easy as going to your insurance company’s website and checking your benefits, but that can be confusing as well. The state of Oregon is direct access, which means the state does not require a referral from your doctor to see one of our PTs. There are some insurance companies though, which do require one. If you feel you need PT, or are interested in your benefits, this is something we can help you with. We can call and verify your benefits to give you a good idea what to expect as far as any specific requirements your insurance may have (i.e. doctor referral, prior authorization etc). You can always call into our office and have us verify your coverages for you. Do not hesitate to call if you have any questions, or would like our help with understanding your insurance plan and options.

Tell us your story:
50+ years old, partial knee replacement done recently. Cause for replacement stemmed from a car accident 30 years ago. The last 5 – 7 years, my knee finally got so bad it was effecting my quality of life and I was not able to do simple things like walk on the beach or hike. I also love golfing and it was becoming quite painful to do so. I have found through working with Jens and the team at TAI Physical Therapy just how much I was compensating for the pain in my knee I was feeling.

What does Physical Therapy mean to you?
More than what I went in thinking it was. I have learned more than just the exercises to maximize my new knee and my range of motion, but I also have learned so much about how the brain handles output signals of pain and it is necessary to retrain the brain on how it thinks and handles these signals and what the output messages it sends are. I also am learning how to correct posture and how to walk and distribute my weight. This has been something I think many can benefit from to prevent ailing joints later on in life. Sports science is quite fascinating and the team at TAI has been very patient with me and takes the time for me to understand what is going on with my brain and my recovery from my knee surgery. It has assisted me in the healing process tremendously.

Favorite PT exercise?
I actually like the ring exercises we do with one leg in a ring and then doing a one legged squat pushing the leg in the ring back. It is extremely challenging but it is possible and I feel it working leg, core and assisting with me regaining my balance and confidence that my knee can support me.

Most hated PT exercise?
Sorry guys, but I really do not like the ball exercises known as “Double Threats”. They are probably doing me a tremendous amount of good but that does not make me like them. They are beyond “hard” for me and I cannot state how I really feel about them without a lot of editing needing to take place. You get the idea.

This December we got into the Holiday Spirit and participated in the Reindeer Romp, put on by Wilsonville Parks and Recreation. Sarah lead the kids in a bit of dynamic stretching prior to their romps. Then the adults completed a 5k before everyone had fun at Bullwinkle’s.