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As a dedicated physician, you can be confident in referring your patients to our Physical Therapy practice in Jersey City. We pride ourselves in having state of the art equipment, up to date treatment techniques, above average outcomes and sensitivity to both our patients' and physicians' needs.

Referring your patients to the right Physical Therapist is a reflection on you and your reputation. We at ABLe Physical Therapy would be honored to be allowed to partake in the care of your valued patients. You can count on A Better Life!

For_Physicians Here are some Frequently Asked Questions from our referring physicians.

How long does it take for my patient to be seen after I refer them for Physical Therapy?
How do I refer a patient to ABLe Physical Therapy?
What other information would be helpful to the physical therapist?
Do we need your operative, MRI, or X-ray reports?
How do I know what frequency and duration to refer my patient for?
How will I communicate with the Physical Therapist regarding my patient?
I am not sure that you can help my patient. Can I refer them for a Physical Therapy consultation?
How soon after an injury or procedure should I send a patient for physical therapy?
Why choose ABLe Physical Therapy?
What is a Functional Capacity Evaluation?
What is Work Conditioning/Work Simulation?

How long does it take for my patient to be seen after I refer them for Physical Therapy?

In most cases patients are scheduled within 1 day of the referral. For emergent cases, we will see the patient immediately.
Unfortunately, some insurance companies require a pre-certification process. This may take 24 to 48 hours to process. Please don't hesitate to call us if there are any questions on how we can help expedite the process.

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How do I refer a patient to ABLe Physical Therapy?

Simple! To refer a patient, all you need to do is give the patient a prescription! On the Rx, please include the diagnosis and the words "evaluate and treat for physical therapy" written on it. If you have specific instructions, precautions and/or post operative protocols you would like us to follow, simply write it on the prescription.

For your convenience, we have attached a convenient physical therapy prescription in Adobe PDF format that you can print out and complete. CLICK HERE FOR PT RX. To further expedite the process, feel free to have your P.A. or office staff fax us the prescription and the patient's demographic face sheet with telephone number. We'll do the rest!

What other information would be helpful to the physical therapist?

Some helpful items to include on the prescription are:
• The diagnosis or diagnoses (e.g. Lumbar Strain 847.2).
• The type of surgery and date performed (s/p Unicompartmental knee replacement 10/21/2010, RTC repair with acromioplasty 01/23/2009).
• Weight bearing restrictions for post-surgical and post-fracture patients (NWB, WBAT, TTWB, PWB, 50% WB, etc).
• Fracture status if applicable.
• ROM restrictions if any (e.g. No more than 90 deg Abduction, No External Rotation until post op day 28, etc).
• Degree of resistance desired for post-surgical patients (e.g. PROM only; No AROM for 4 weeks, etc).
• Expected outcomes after rehabilitation.
• Specific requests.
• PRECAUTIONS (e.g. cardiac precautions, keep BP < 140/90, maintain HR < 100 bpm, hypoglycemic, falls, etc).

Do we need your operative, MRI, or X-ray reports?

Operative reports, X-rays and/or MRI reports are always helpful, but are not absolutely necessary. The written interpretation of the diagnostic exam from either you of the radiologist, or any vital information written directly on the actual prescription/referral usually will suffice.

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How do I know what frequency and duration to refer my patient for?

In general, most patients are initially seen three times weekly for four weeks. The duration of their treatment will vary based on their diagnosis or procedure. Most of our patients follow the accepted, evidence based and peer reviewed, post operative protocol and time frames. Medicare patients, motor vehicle accident cases (PIP), workers compensation patients and most insurance companies require a prescription every 30 days.

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How will I communicate with the Physical Therapist regarding my patient?

Generally, patient reports are sent every 30 days. Progress reports are also sent immediately after the initial evaluation and prior to a patient's recheck with you. We usually fax these reports to your office so that you can have them prior to the patient's next visit.

Of course, we are only a phone call, email or fax away from you. Whatever your preferred mode of communication, we are always easily accessible!

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I am not sure that you can help my patient. Can I refer them for a Physical Therapy consultation?

Of course. Simply tell your patient you would like them to be seen by a physical therapist. Most people, no matter what the diagnosis, can benefit from physical therapy. We will evaluate your patient and report to you our findings and recommendations. Please also feel free to call us to see how we can be of service to you or your patient.

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How soon after an injury or procedure should I send a patient for physical therapy?

The patient should be seen as early as possible. Whether the patient is s/p THR or s/p CABG, peer reviewed, evidence based literature has proven that most individuals will benefit from PT on their first post-operative day. The days of bed rest long gone, as its effects have been proven detrimental and even fatal to the patient.

The earlier a patient is seen, the quicker the recovery and the shorter the overall duration of their care. Treatment will be modified according to the stage injury, fracture status, date of the surgical repair and the patient's signs and symptoms.

Patient education regarding their physical status, proper gait training techniques, post operative precautions, home/lifestyle modifications and home exercise program are best initiated immediately. Therefore, generally speaking, it is never too early for P.T.!

Why choose ABLe Physical Therapy?

If your family had an injury, where would you want them to go for physical therapy? What about you? Where would you want to go?
Physicians and their immediately family members frequently come to us for care. As health care providers, that speaks volumes about our work.

As an orthopedic surgeon, you want the best outcomes for your post operative patient. You worked hard to perform a perfect surgery. Why take a chance with poor rehab and ruin it? A great surgery with poor therapy will reverse all of your hard work. Great therapy outcomes after your surgical procedure will only compliment you, your practice, and your work.

Referring patients to the right Physical Therapist is a positive reflection on the referring physician.

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What is a Functional Capacity Evaluation?

ABLe Physical Therapy is certified to perform functional capacity examinations. A functional capacity evaluation or examination is an objective tool for determining what job duties a patient is capable - or not capable - of doing. Our FCE is an based test that is thoroughly researched by our peers in the field of occupational medicine and ergonomics. It is based on the U.S. Government's Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT).

Our functional capacity examination is a special medical and legal tool used by the physician, insurance company, attorney and employer to determine what a patient can safely and physically perform at work. It can be performed prior to employment to determine qualification for a specific job or it can be performed after injury to determine if a patient is safe to return to regular or modified work. It has been designed to be a safe, reliable, valid and practical test of lifting capacity for patients with both spine and/or extremity problems. An FCE can sometimes last up to four hours.

The Functional Capacity Evaluation is an objective tool takes the subjective factor out of deciding whether it is appropriate to allow your patient back to work. Therefore it limits liability on the side of the health care provider.

FCEs are applicable to almost ALL personal injury, workers compensation and disability cases. It can be used prior every discharge to ensure the patient's safety and again, to eliminate liability on the part of the discharging physician.

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What is Work Conditioning/Work Simulation?

For our physicians who treat workers compensation patients, we offer work conditioning and work simulation programs. These programs are based to simulate actual work requirements and activities. The emphasis of this program if to facilitate a functional return to their normal job duties.