The Value of the Cost of Treatment This article http://wapo.st/187qp1A was shared on Twitter early this morning by physical therapist Justin Feldman (@JNFeldman), with the comment “A good argument for #cashPT.” As I clicked the link and saw the title, my heart sank. It said: For a stiff neck, nearly $6,000 in physical therapy seemed too much. The article was an op-ed from author, Chris Core, a commentator for WTOP radio. In it, he described his experience with physical therapy for his neck. Suffice it to say, he did not have a good experience. I have a number of thoughts after reading his perception of the experience, so indulge me while I share them. In my Pain Sciences course work with Myopain Seminars, we were told that “the pain is where the patient says it is, when they say it is, and it is as bad as they say it is, because it is THEIR pain.” (Once we come at it from that perspective, we can begin to shift their experience and emotions around the pain as we partner with them in treatment). So, working from that paradigm, I would like to say that Mr. Core’s experience with physical therapy was as bad as he says it was (because it was HIS experience). None of us know what happened in his evaluation and one subsequent treatment; but, he states that he was asked a bunch of silly questions and then given a massage and some exercises, and sent home. We need to appreciate his take on what he experienced. As a physical therapist, I ask the same “silly” questions of every new patient. I ask a lot of questions. Tons of questions that may seem irrelevant to the patient: “How is your sleep?” “Is the pain sharp or more of […]
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