Excel Rehab & Sports is proud to be included in this issue of Health Links Upstate. Written by Janet E Perrigo, this article talks about how our team works together with a “whole person approach to health and wellness.”
Traditionally, when a person experiences an injury or symptomatic pain, the first stop is the family doctor or possibly a specialist. While expensive diagnostics such as an MRI might be the next appointment, an alternative would be to send the patient to physical therapy, even if surgery may be indicated in the near future.
Excel Rehab & Sports, located in Easley, Clemson and Seneca, offers an alternative pathway to relief and recovery – one that can have multiple benefits to the patient. Using specific strategies and personalized treatment plans central to their “patient first” mission, Excel’s team has created a therapeutic process that encourages early access to physical therapy, patient education about their conditions and a whole-person approach to health and wellness.
According to South Carolina Chief of Physical Therapy David Bright, PT, MPT, COMT, “We empower patients to become part of the healing process when we take the time to explain the reasons behind their care plans and the benefits provided toward sustaining their goals and lifestyles. Physical therapy is a versatile option that can, in many cases, provide immediate or quick relief from debilitating pain. Al-though results are specific to each individual, many patients see relief in their symptoms in as few as two treatments. Most patients experience full recovery in four to six weeks.”
With Excel’s collaborative model, the practice of early physical therapy as a pre-surgical pathway uses these health care resources as a qualified extension of the medical diagnosis. Physical therapy can help determine the pain source and possible nonsurgical or medicative solutions. Together, the patient, the patient’s doctor and the physical therapy team maximize positive results, whether the therapy is offered before or after surgery.
Additionally, Bright believes pre-surgery therapy has several ancillary benefits: “Receiving early physical therapy can not only save patients money by potentially avoiding costly diagnostics and specialists but can also shorten the time and opportunity for the patient’s condition to worsen or cause added pain by compensating in other ways while executing daily living activities. Short- and long-term independence is at risk when pain indications are left unevaluated and, in many cases, untreated.”
Excel Rehab & Sports is intentional about developing and maintaining strong ties to the medical community to ensure that local physicians remain aware of the therapy and resources it can provide. To accomplish this, Excel prioritizes gaining trust and confidence by delivering effective treatment outcomes to every patient they treat and every doctor they serve.
Most patients generally follow their doctor’s recommendations for care. However, when providers express confidence in their continuing care, patients sense this from the start of the referral process and are more willing to comply with the care plan, resulting in more positive outcomes. Because Excel Rehab & Sports continues to build solid relationships with local providers, its patients are better prepared to understand the benefits of physical therapy and what to expect early in the treatment phases of their care. These insights allow patients to advocate for their own health and empower them to research and choose the right provider.
When their doctor’s medical knowledge and skills work in concert with the work of the physical therapist, the pain being experienced can be more quickly addressed and the need for opioids reduced or eliminated. Also, an effective treatment plan can sometimes eliminate the need for further medical imaging and the involvement of a specialist, saving money for the patient.
Money can be an issue, but most insurance plans cover physical therapy, and, because South Carolina is a direct access state, a patient is not initially required to have a referral from a doctor. Every insurance plan is different, and Excel explains the specific benefits of each plan before initiating treatment. Patients who do not have medical insurance have a choice of payment options and special self-pay rates.
The highly trained physical therapists at Excel Rehab & Sports understand that pain and the many conditions their patients face affect their daily routines and their hopes
for the future. Excel’s certified physical, occupational and hand-therapy teams regularly treat sprains and strains, fractures, multi-trauma injuries, amputations, joint replacements, balance retraining, arthritis and a multitude of other conditions. Through their hands-on manual therapy, an uplifting and supportive environment and direct communication before, during and after discharge, therapists become true partners in health care as their patients’ coach, motivator, advisor and friend.
Perhaps Bright summed it up best: “Every patient be-comes part of the Excel Rehab & Sports family and supportive community. In doing so, we are different, and the experience and outcomes are different, too. Our goal is to become the most trusted therapy provider in each community we serve. To that end, the Excel Rehab & Sports physical therapy model has forged a new and valuable pathway to recovery.”
