My doctor ordered me to receive physical therapy. I expected to go to the therapist’s and get personal attention. Instead, the office was full of patients receiving treatment. He gave me some exercises to do, then ran off to attend other clients and left me alone. How many patients do they schedule at a time? There was like 10 people there and one therapist. Not only that, there was no receptionist so he also had to answer the phone and do scheduling while trying to do PT. What if I had a problem and needed his attention?
#1 by mistify on February 20, 2010 - 6:16 am
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It really depends on your setting and type of problem for which you are attending. I am fortunate enough to work in a clinic where we do work one on one with patients; however, we tend to see a sicker and lower level clientel than say a sports orthopedic clinic where patients do not need a lot of supervision and one on one guidance in their treatment.
If you are freshly post operative or require hands on assistance, you need to attend a clinic where at least some one on one time can be provided. If you are there primarily for theraputic exercise that can be done under general supervision, it’s not usual for the therapist to juggle two to three patients at once.
…and I would never attend a clinic where the patient to therapist ration is greater than 3.
#2 by dre on February 20, 2010 - 7:46 am
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i think you should find a new physical therapist…you should be getting one-on-one time and the therapist shouldn’t be having to leave you to attend to phones, etc. sounds like a very disorganized practice. ask your doctor to give you other options because you don’t feel safe going there.
#3 by estefan0 on February 20, 2010 - 8:28 am
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go to a private clinic
#4 by Purpose on February 20, 2010 - 12:42 pm
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My sister heads up the Physical Therapy department at St. Josephs hospital and I can assure you your case is not the norm. I would find an other P.T.
#5 by stark_ra on February 20, 2010 - 2:11 pm
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If you’re looking for a therapist’s undivided attention, you’re probably not going to get that. Therapists schedule coincidental appointments. Just think for a moment – they aren’t going to stand there and watch you while you soak in a hot pack for 20 minutes. It would just be a waste of time for them when they could be helping other patients. Don’t put yourself on a pedestal, especially when dealing with the medical profession.
#6 by gillianp on February 20, 2010 - 3:16 pm
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Depends on the situation. One to one should be in a Hospital setting, a Hospital Physiotherapy Department. I have one to one sessions in Hospital Out-Patients. However outside of that environment, well you are not guaranteed one to one, could be a class of exercise, but again it depends on why you need physiotherapy? He/she gave you some exercises and you will need to ‘do them’ on your own in the office and at home. So if you are not willing to do them in the office, chances are you will not do them at home and you are wasting everyones time. I can recall being sent to PT due to extensive calcification of my rotor cuff in my shoulder. I walked in and the Hospital PT simply stated ‘Nothing I can do for you!’ I replied ‘I do not care, I have been sent here by a Consultant and I will be here every week to play Cards if you like, just so that I can state I attended PT. Otherwise the Consultant could use this as a excuse not to treat me!’ I attended every week for six weeks for a chat, then returned to my Consultant, who suddenly had a problem and tried to push me off to another Consultant, but it did not work! Best of Luck
#7 by jitterbu on February 20, 2010 - 7:04 pm
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I have been to one where sometimes they are seeing multiple patients, but not to that extreme. It is usually only because someones appt ran over anothers and the PT doesnt want to keep everyone waiting.
I would ask your doctor to suggest another PT to go see.