HEALTHCARE
TEAM
OVERVIEW
Just as you have a team on the field, you need one off the field to keep you healthy. The biggest part of the relationship between you and your healthcare team is trust. You need to find people that will treat you like the athlete you are, listen to your concerns, and offer you sport-specific plans.
Depending on your specific needs, you’ll need a primary care practitioner, OB-GYN, and physical therapist. If you have needs around mental health, you’ll want to find a good talk therapist.
WHO TO SEE?
No matter what sort of practitioner you’re trying to see, it is important to find the right person that fits your needs.
One of the best ways to find someone is word of mouth. Talk to people that you trust or have similar issues. Find out who they saw and what their experience was like. It is also important to know who not to see and talking to your circle of friends can be helpful there too.
Set up an introductory appointment. Depending on the office, you might be able to set up an initial appointment to see if the provider is a good fit.
Ask questions. The people you are seeing spent years studying their craft, but you’ve been with your body and mind your entire life. They should listen to your concerns and be receptive to your questions.
Unfortunately, real life will always be there. So you will likely need to check with your insurance and think about a provider who is in-network.
A WORD ON
PHYSICAL THERAPY
One of the biggest members of your team is your physical therapist (PT). This is the person who will look at your biomechanics and help figure out where you’re going wrong and how to fix it. To see a PT, you’ll need a prescription from your doctor.
However, most states have some form of direct or open access to physical therapists, meaning you can be seen by them for a certain time or number of visits without a prescription.
For example, Georgia has patient access but with specific provisions. The PT has to meet certain requirements and there are only so many visits you can have before requiring a referral.
American Physical Therapy Patient Access by State (PDF)
Note: You’ll need to check with your insurance company and your PT’s office to ask about costs for direct access visits.