In 2020, we initiated telehealth (virtual physical therapy) as a means to continue patient care during the pandemic. It has been such a success that, in an effort to both safeguard everyone’s health and provide physical therapy in a convenient and effective manner, we anticipate a hybrid model of care ongoing to include both in-clinic and virtual treatment options.
WE ARE NOW OFFERING TELEHEALTH PHYSICAL THERAPY TO CURRENT & NEW PATIENTS!
Contact us with any questions or to schedule an appointment:
PATIENTS MUST BE IN ILLINOIS TO RECEIVE TELEHEALTH SERVICES THROUGH VITALITY!
Benefits of Virtual Physical Therapy:
- Your therapist will be able to assess your ACTUAL environment and see how you work, play, care for yourself and others, and live your life.
- Examples of areas of assessment:
- office or home workstation
- childcare strategies, including review of feeding postures in the
- actual chair/bed that you feed your baby in, and lifting mechanics from your crib, changing table, and highchair
- analysis of your exercise space and equipment to promote better exercise in your home
- You will save the commute time to an in-person session, missing less work or time with your family.
- If you have young children, you don’t have to find childcare or drag them into an appointment. Several patients with infants have timed PT appointments according to nap time.
- Patients experiencing acute pain and difficulty with mobility can benefit from more frequent, shorter telehealth sessions to assist in their care.
Telehealth sessions are delivered through a HIPAA compliant platform.
You will receive a link to Vitality’s virtual platform in your appointment reminder email or you can go directly to your physical therapist’s waiting room by clicking on the links below:
Your Telehealth Questions Answered
Telehealth
So, what is telehealth?
Telehealth, or telerehabilitation, is the delivery of rehabilitation services over telecommunication networks and the Internet.
How does telehealth physical therapy with Vitality work?
Patients will receive PT sessions through HIPAA-compliant video-conferencing. Your session will be similar to an in-clinic visit aside from the hands-on component. Your therapist will be able to resume and progress your treatment incorporating education and exercise within your telehealth session using real-time technology. Most importantly, we will have the same opportunity to discuss your symptoms and plan of care as you would in the clinic, progress your home exercise program, teach you strategies for self-management, show you new exercises, help you troubleshoot any new symptoms or changes you are experiencing, and even assess if you are doing exercises properly, just as we would during an in-person PT appointment!
How long do telehealth sessions last?
You can schedule hour-long appointments similar to in-person PT sessions but you and your therapist might determine shorter sessions might be more appropriate for your needs.
Does my insurance cover telehealth physical therapy at Vitality?
On March 19, 2020, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued an Executive Order expanding telehealth services across the state as part of the continued effort to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis. In September of 2021, BCBSIL announced that it would continue to cover telehealth services through 2022. BCBSIL link.
If you are an out-of-network patient at Vitality, telehealth will be a self-pay option in the same fashion as before the crisis, however, if you plan to submit for reimbursement using your out-of-network benefits, you may want to call your insurance company to verify whether telehealth services will be reimbursed.
Is Vitality accepting new patients?
Yes, Vitality is welcoming new patients for evaluations via telehealth and in-clinic at this time. We specialize in women’s and pelvic health, however, we can treat women, men and children for all orthopedic, neurologic, and cardiopulmonary conditions requiring physical therapy services.
What if I’m still not sure if telehealth PT is for me?
Try a session! Or you can call or email your PT and discuss your concerns directly prior to scheduling an appointment to see if telehealth is right for you.
How should I prepare for my telehealth visit?
- Make sure you’re in a private space with some room to move around–ideally where your therapist could see you performing exercises such as in a bedroom on a bed or in a room with a yoga mat.
- Make sure all browsers are up to date and you have a strong internet connection. Try to minimize usage of your internet connection for other streaming platforms (i.e. Netflix, xBox) at the time of your session, as this may slow your connection.
- Wear clothes you can move around in and that your therapist can see you in–ideally form fitting clothing that you can also move in like yoga pants and a fitted top.
- If using a phone, make sure to have something to prop it up against.
What devices will work and how to I access my virtual PT session?
You can utilize your computer via a web browser to access Vitality’s virtual platform Doxy.Me to complete your telehealth sessions. You can also access this platform similarly on smartphones.
To access the virtual appointment session with your physical therapist enter Doxy.me followed by vitality and your physical therapist’s name.
Example: Doxy.me/vitalityamy
A link is provided in your Heno appointment reminder email.
You will enter your physical therapist’s Doxy waiting room and they will admit you at the time of your appointment.
Your Next Steps…
Request An Appointment
Receive A Custom Treatment Plan
Work Hard and Progress In Your Recovery
Recover & Enjoy Life Symptom-Free!