FAQ's

Yes, absolutely!

• "Best fit" phone call: 10-15 min

• Initial evaluations: 75 minutes

• Follow up appointments: 60 minutes

• We typically see patients once a week to start. As you progress your needs may change, and we may decrease to once every other week or to a once a month as needed. The ultimate goal is full discharge from our care.

An average plan of care is between 8 to 10 visits and varies from person to person depending on factors such as the complexity and duration of the problem. Though we are unable to guarantee individual results, we will be able to give you a better idea of our estimate and expectations of improvement once we have completed your exam and started active treatment.

A prescription from your doctor is not required but is recommended. Having a prescription for physical therapy may be required for insurance reimbursement and helps ensure your medical team is in the same page with regard to your care.

Yes, please bring a copy of pertinent test results and notes to your first appointment if you have them available.

Flexible clothing such as yoga pants.

Initial evaluation: the initial evaluation has three main components: discussion, physical evaluation, and plan.

Discussion: During your first visit (initial evaluation), a good part of the session will be a discussion between you and your therapist. When working together, a solid foundation starts with in-depth understanding. We will ask many questions about your main concerns, and we will want to know your personal goals in coming to us for therapy. Because many of the problems we treat stem from overlapping issues, we are likely to ask about other areas. For example, pelvic pain issues can often be related to problems in the hips. So, don’t be surprised if we ask you about your hips. Our goal, always, is to be thorough and treat you holistically.

Physical evaluation: We tailor the examination depending on the problem you are coming for. If you are coming for an orthopedic concern, we will look at components of strength, range of motion, functional movement, and tissue reactivity. It is ideal to wear flexible clothing such as yoga pants as this allows for easier assessment by your therapist. We may also ask to directly see areas such as your lower spine so we can get better information about what’s going on. Finally, we are likely to palpate or use our hands to assess for tightness and pain in the tissue. If there is ever part of the physical evaluation you are uncomfortable with or do not want to participate in, please, in clear language, let your therapist know so we can alter our approach to gather information for your care that also fits your level of comfort. We will always be respectful of your preferences and needs.

If you are coming for a pelvic health concern, we most often look at the elements listed above. Additionally, we are likely to recommend an internal pelvic muscle assessment so we can get an understanding of how your pelvic muscles are functioning and why they may be giving you trouble. For this part of the exam, we gently insert a lubricated, gloved finger in your vagina, and we will ask you to squeeze as if you’re stopping the flow or urine. We will also palpate the muscles to assess for tissue tightness and tenderness. If this is causing pain, we may alter the exam. Understandably, many people are nervous about this portion of the evaluation. While internal assessment provides us better information about the problem and better direction and options for treatment, it is not a requirement. You are never required to participate in a specific evaluation or intervention if you do not want to. Your therapist will ask for verbal consent prior to any internal work and we will always be respectful of your needs and wishes. As always, the expectation of you as a patient, is that you clearly communicate your needs.

Assessment and Plan: After gathering the information above we will have a big picture view of what’s contributing to your problem/s and we will come up with a plan for improvement. Our goal is to help you where you need help and, more importantly, to teach you tools for self-care so you can live in a body that is healthy and well balanced.

No, Dr. Katie does not treat male pelvic health patients. She has spent most of her career focusing on pelvic health needs of women and knows male patients will be best served with a clinician specializing in their specific needs. If you are a male in need of a referral to a qualified therapist, please send an e-mail request and Dr. Katie will share other resource options for you.

No. Unfortunately we are not able to work with Medicare recipients at this time. Integristic Physical Therapy currently does not have a relationship with Medicare which means we are not able to treat Medicare recipients for Medicare covered services. Current regulations do not allow us to accept your money and do not allow us to treat you for medically covered physical interventions even if you, as a Medicare beneficiary, want to pay out of pocket for our services. We are disappointed this regulation exists as we feel it limits your care options. We are, however, permitted to work with you for wellness services such as exercise instruction and guidance for general health. Stay tuned for updates as Integristic Physical Therapy may enroll as an official Medicare provider at a later date.

Insurance and payment

• We are an out-of-network provider with most insurances. This means services are generally covered under your insurance out-of-network benefits, though the cost may differ from in-network providers.

• Integristic Physical Therapy does not interact with your insurance company and we recommend you contact them, in advance, with any questions about your benefits.

• We will provide you with a detailed bill to submit to your insurance company so you may receive reimbursement according to your plan benefits.

• Payment for physical therapy sessions is due at the time of service and we require credit card to be on file in order to schedule your appointment.

• We accept checks and credit card for payment of service.

• Please note that currently we are able to see Medicare patients for wellness services only.

Cost of therapy

• 15 minute "best fit" phone call: free

• 75-minute evaluation: $250

• 60- minute follow up appointment: $180

We observe a 48-hour cancellation policy to optimize our ability to offer appointments to our patients.

There is no fee if your appointment is cancelled prior 48 hours. Cancellations less than 48 hours in advance are subject to a $60 cancellation fee. If you do not show up for your appointment, first "no show" is billed at $60, additional no shows are billed at the full rate of the appointment.

We reserve the right to suspend care if you no show 3 times.

We are located close to the Norwood town square at the Chestnut Green Offices, located at 470 Washington St. #31, Norwood MA 02062. Entrance door is located 3/4 of the way around the building as you follow the one-way path aroound the parking lot.