1.) What can I expect during my physical therapy visit(s)

At Glinn & Giordano we believe that your experience during you physical therapy is as important as the therapy itself. Once you arrive for your schedule appointment you will be greeted by one of our friendly receptionist and asked to fill out a small amount of paperwork. Once completed you will be escorted to your treatment area to begin your evaluation. During your initial evaluation your therapist will review your medical history and depending on your diagnosis or symptoms, your therapist may evaluate your flexibility, strength, balance, coordination and posture. Your initial evaluation is used by your therapist to develop your goals for therapy and begin planning your treatment. Based on your treatment plan your therapist will introduce you to specific exercises geared to return you to your normal life. At the discretion of your therapist and physician, a home exercise program may be developed to aid you in your recovery. At the conclusion of your visit you will be escorted to the reception area to schedule your next visit and receive any additional instructions that may be needed.

2.) Can I choose who I want to go to for physical therapy?

YES! Under California law patients have the right to seek physical therapy care from the place of their own choosing. Often times medical doctors send patients to practices that the patient may not want to go to. If this is the case, simply ask to be referred to Glinn & Giordano and accomodations will be made.

3.) Do I need a referral for physical therapy?

Patients seeking to have physical therapy care and are paying independently via cash, check or credit card do not need to have a referral. In some cases, patients seeking to have physical therapy care charged to their insurance may need a referral from their doctor. Call and talk to our billing department to see if your insurance requires a doctor referral:  661-327-4357 . During your doctor visit ask if you might benefit from physical therapy and the doctor will refer you at his/her discretion.

4.) I have a worker’s compensation injury, how do I get my treatment started?

Once you have seen your doctor and have been referred for physical therapy care we will begin the process of getting you started. When we receive your referral from your doctor our receptionists will submit your referral to your insurance for authorization. Once authorization has been received our receptionists will contact you to schedule your appointments. Typically this process only takes a short time and we can get you scheduled within 24 hours.

5.) What if I cannot afford my insurance co-pay?

For patients that are referred to Glinn & Giordano, but are unable to pay their insurance co-pay we suggest that the patient get in touch with their insurance company to discuss financial hardship waiver availability. Often times insurance companies have policies in place to accommodate patients that are unable to afford their insurance co-pay. It is illegal to waive co-payments and doing so is considered a violation of insurance laws resulting in insurance fraud!

6.) How long will my visits last?

Typically visits last around 1 hour, but visit time can vary depending on the injury, treatments and insurance. During your initial evaluation the visit generally last a little bit longer due to the nature of the evaluation and additional paperwork.

7.) Will you communicate with my physician regarding my progress?

Yes we do communicate with your physician regarding your progress. It is standard operating procedure to remain in contact with your doctor to update them on your progress and/or difficulties. Often times because of this communication doctors will request to see the patient again after physical therapy to do a follow-up evaluation.

8.) What if I do not have insurance coverage?

Patients that do not have insurance coverage have the option of paying for services rendered via cash, check or credit card. Patients that do not have insurance coverage are not required to have a referral from their doctor, but must have a diagnosis from a doctor prior to services being rendered.

9.) How are Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy different?

In a general sense physical therapists assess and provide treatment to individuals to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and function throughout life while occupational therapists work with individuals, families, groups and communities to facilitate health and well-being through engagement or re-engagement in occupation. Patients often confuse physical therapy and occupational therapy as the same thing and while some aspects are similar they are very different practices. The most common misconception about occupational therapy is that it’s focused on “work” injuries only, but in reality the word occupation in occupational therapy refers to a persons ability to do specific tasks. Another key difference is the portion of the body that each profession deals with. While a physical therapist works to help with ailments that effect all parts of the body, an occupational therapist works to help with ailments that primarily effect the hands and upper extremities.

10.) What do the acronyms (PT, OT, OCS, etc) stand for?

The acronyms behind the names of our professionals are the degree and/or certifications that each individual has. Below is a small key to identify the qualifications of each individual.

ATC – Certified Athletic Trainer

CFT – Certified Fitness Trainer

CHT – Certified Hand Therapist

COTA – Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

DPT – Doctor of Physical Therapy

MPT – Master of Physical Therapy

MSOT – Master Science in Occupational Therapy

OCS – Orthopaedic Certified Specialist

OT – Occupational Therapist

OTR – Occupational Therapist, Registered

OTR/L – Occupational Therapist, Registered, Licensed

PT – Physical Therapist

PTA – Physical Therapy Assistant