Thank you for your interest in our services. To save you time we have posted the most common questions and their answers that our referring physicians ask. If you need more information please call us immediately.

• How long after I refer a patient will my patient be seen in physical therapy?
• How do I refer a patient to physical therapy?
• What other information would be helpful to the physical therapist on the prescription?
• Do you need operative, MRI, or X-ray reports?
• How do I know what frequency and duration to refer my patient for?
• How will I know how my patient is progressing?
• Can I refer for a consultation?
• How do I know what kind of treatment I should suggest?

How long after I refer a patient will my patient be seen in physical therapy?

In most cases patients are scheduled promptly, typically within 24 hours of receiving the referral. If schedules allow, we will see the patient that day.

Unfortunately, with today’s managed care, some insurance companies don’t allow this timely scheduling secondary to precertification requirements. Please call us if there is any question.

How do I refer a patient to physical therapy?

Referring a patient to physical therapy is easy. Simply fax an Excel Therapy Specialists referral form to our Tulsa clinic at (918) 743-9234 or our Broken Arrow clinic at (918) 259-9521 or you may certainly use your own clinic referrals as well. If necessary, you may give the patient a referral form. to bring with them to their first appointment. They must call ahead to schedule, however.

Again, with managed care, although we make every effort to take care of all insurance and precertification requirements, unfortunately some insurance companies require the physician to get precertification. If this is the case, it must sometimes be done before the patient is allowed to start.

What other information would be helpful to the physical therapist on the prescription?

Other than a clinical diagnosis if known, the only other information we need is:

* Weight bearing restrictions for post-surgical and post -fracture patients
* Fracture status
* ROM restrictions for post-surgical patients
* Degrees of resistance allowed for post-surgical patient (e.g.: active, passive or resisted)
* Expected limits in ROM if any, for a final outcome on a post-surgical patient
* Type of surgical procedure and/or type of internal fixation used
* Specific requests for splints or braces.

Do you need operative, MRI, or X-ray reports?

As physical therapists, we work very closely with your patients to allow gradual stress on a surgical site. Operative reports, X-rays and/or MRI reports are always helpful, but are not absolutely necessary. Any vital information can be written directly on the referral as outlined in the previous question.

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

In most cases it is best to leave specific duration and frequency up to the physical therapist.

How will I know how my patient is progressing?

The physical therapist will send you a full written report on your patient after first seeing the patient. Information included will be history, objective findings, assessment, and intervention type and frequency.

The patient will be periodically re-evaluated and updated reports will be sent. Frequency of reports will depend upon the severity and nature of the problem. Re-evaluations and reports will also be sent prior to any follow-up visit you have scheduled with the patient. If you would like reports or updates more frequently and/or verbally, please call or write it on your referral.

Can I refer for a consultation?

Absolutely. Simply tell your patient you would like them to be seen by a physical therapist to see if we can be helpful. We will take a look at the patient and call you or send a report, as you prefer.

Also, feel free to call us first for general information and intervention options for an individual patient or for more general information on various diagnoses or types of problems.

How do I know what kind of treatment I should suggest?

Decisions about specific interventions, duration, and frequency of visits are best left to the physical therapist upon examination/evaluation. You can explain to your patient that the physical therapist will evaluate them and identify any physical therapy problems such as pain, weakness, loss of motion, loss of function, gait problems, etc.

The physical therapist will explain all aspects of the plan of care to the patient and will send you a report with an outline of their care. This way, the patient doesn’t have a false expectation for physical therapy and the best intervention options can be utilized.

Any specific requests you make will be incorporated in the patient’s program if appropriate.