Standards Of Care And Performance

Three Critical Standards To Demand From Your PT Provider What It Takes To Provide Excellence In Physical Therapy May Surprise You...

Many people don't realize they can choose where to get their physical therapy. Choosing a physical therapy provider that sets high standards of performance can make the difference between the fastest possible recovery and a disappointing or frustrating experience. Industry standards of care for physical therapy simply meet the minimum acceptable criteria for quality of treatment and conduct, but Greendale Physical Therapy is about more than maintaining minimum standards, and that's why we have developed our own Standards Of Care & Performance. We hope our Standards of Care & Performance help you understand important considerations when choosing your care.

1. Advanced Training, And Select Certifications

All licensed physical therapists meet the requirements of the state licensing board. Some physical therapists get additional training and certifications for techniques proven to be uniquely effective for treating certain conditions. These advanced skills offer patients a variety of treatment options for their condition. Greendale Physical Therapy therapists are required to have advanced training in select specialties chosen by our clinical director for their effectiveness when treating certain conditions.

• Aquatic Physical Therapy- Proven to reduce pain and speed recovery for those who are not ready to take full advantage of land-based therapy.
• Rehab Pilates- Enhances basic therapy by restoring postural and spinal alignment
• Active Release Techniques® (ART) - Advanced technique for assessment and treatment of muscle, tendon, and other musculoskeletal tissue.
• Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization and Graston Technique TM - Soft tissue mobilization techniques proven to reduce or eliminate scar tissue.
• Lumbar Core Stabilization - Enhances natural postural mechanisms to correct mechanical dysfunction, promoting long-term spine health beyond the initial rehabilitation.

*All services may not be available at every location

In addition, each year we require our therapists to take outside continuing education and certification courses. They are required to present to other therapists what they learned, and are required to participate in continuing education sessions in the clinic. The Greendale continuing education requirements exceed those imposed by state regulations.

2. Results Driven, Not Cost Driven

Greendale Physical Therapy provides care best suited to patients, not insurance companies. Many PT providers set up their practice to minimize costs in response to the continued pressure from insurance companies. One of the most common industry-wide reactions to this pressure is to reduce the time with the physical therapist and increase the number of patients per hour. This can greatly impact the quality of care and the patient experience.

• At Greendale Physical Therapy patients will work with our skilled, licensed practitioners on EVERY visit.
• Greendale Physical Therapy provides your plan of care based on our professional judgment and best-practices, not insurance company endorsed .cookie-cutter. protocol. We know everyone doesn't fit into a "size 4 shoe," and shouldn't be forced to do that with their physical therapy.

According to national physical therapy benchmark research performed by HCS Consulting, Greendale Physical Therapy, therapist time per patient visit on average was 14% greater than the national average, which means our therapists spend more time with patients and better care for our patients.

3. Patient And Physician Satisfaction With The Experience As Well As The Outcome (Saying This Isn't Enough. Is It Actually Documented?)

Many institutions face challenges that impact the patient experience and create that "Why can't they treat me more like a person than a number" and "I can't wait to get out of here" feeling. That is a reflection of a low standard for "customer service". Our standard is to provide an experience that is as satisfying and enjoyable as possible. To do that we've addressed some of the most common service complaints and frustrations reported at many facilities including long wait times, confusion with insurance and paper work, reporting, and poor customer service.

• Greendale Physical Therapy provides participating physicians with a "hot line" service to get patients in for treatment the same day or within 24 hours when indicated for pain management. Most institutions may have 2-4 week waiting periods.
• Greendale Physical Therapy provides patients with access to our TxXchange interactive treatment program which provides home exercise support and progress tracking tools they can use while home or away.
• Greendale Physical Therapy uses Electronic Medical Records with easy to read reports for physicians.
• Computerized satisfaction surveys track and document how we stack up:
  • 96% of respondents recently surveyed rated their experience at Greendale Physical Therapy "very satisfied".
  • 88% of respondents who had previous experience with other physical therapy providers rated Greendale Physical Therapy "much better".
• Complimentary Consultations - Greendale Physical Therapy offers all prospective patients the opportunity to have a complimentary consultation to help them learn about our approach to their treatment before starting care.
• At Greendale Physical Therapy, waiting is viewed as a major inconvenience - unacceptable to you and to us. Time spent in the reception area shouldn't exceed 5 minutes, except in rare situations. A therapist's time is not worth more than yours. In fact, if waiting exceeds 10 minutes from the scheduled appointment, we will buy you dinner.
• At Greendale Physical Therapy, we understand that the rest of your life cannot be put on hold to accommodate your treatment schedule. We offer early morning through late evening appointments, and the ability to change appointment times with a phone call.
We work with you.

Patient Physical Therapy Provider Selection Checklist. Critical Questions To Ask Before Choosing Your Provider.

• What special skills, training, and experience do you have that make you uniquely qualified to treat my condition?
• Do you follow Standards of Care And Performance, and if so how do they exceed the minimum set by industry associations and state licensing boards?
• Will I see a licensed therapist each visit?
• Will I see the same therapist each visit, or will it be different?
• Will you be recommending home exercise, and if so, do you have any tools to assist me with this?
• When my therapy is complete, will you provide me with any options for programs to help reduce the risk of recurrence, like a lumbar stabilization program?

To schedule a complimentary consultation call us at
978-598-3155 (Clinton),508-459-5000 (Worcester), 508-753-7780 (Shrewsbury),
or 781-569-0455 (Woburn)
Request an appointment online at GreendalePT.com