Did you know that you can refer yourself to physical therapy in the state of Oregon? Since 2008, Oregon law has allowed physical therapist to see a patient for 60 days without a physician’s referral. In fact, recent legislation in Oregon has removed restrictions regarding length of treatment without a referral.To me, this demonstrates the power of physical therapy and how our lawmakers have gone out of their way to make it easy for patients to have access to PT’s. The only caveat is that some insurance companies require a physician’s signature to pay for PT. If you are insured, all you have to do is simply call your insurance company and ask if referral is needed to receive physical therapy.
The great news is that you have instant access to a medical provider that can screen the severity of your problem and provide solutions quickly. Often times there are orthopedic problems or “tweaks” that can be dealt with quickly by a PT. I like to let my patients know that physical therapists are here to help with major as well as minor problems. I enjoy working with the whole spectrum of human function and you should remember that physical therapy is helpful for all types of problems. The great thing about seeing a PT for minor problems is that we can get you on the road to feeling recovery quickly.
The last thing to know about PT referral is that a when you receive a prescription for physical therapy is that can be used with any Physical Therapist that you would like to see. The prescription is the same as prescriptions for medication that can be filled at any pharmacy that you would like to use.
It is important to let your friends and family know that going to see a physical therapist is not complicated. All you have to do is contact the clinic and get on the schedule.
