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Wellington Ortho & Rehab Physio FAQ
Physiotherapists are primary health care professionals that play a significant role in health promotion and injury and disease prevention.
As primary health care professionals, physiotherapists combine in-depth knowledge of how the body works with specialized hands-on clinical skills to assess, diagnose and treat symptoms of illness, injury or disability. With the patient’s independence in mind, a physiotherapist’s goal is to restore, maintain and maximize strength, function, movement and overall well-being. Your physiotherapist will most often begin treatment with an extensive assessment that may include health history, evaluation of pain and movement patterns, strength, joint range of motion, reflexes, sensation, and heart and lung function. Based on this assessment, your physiotherapist will establish a diagnosis and work in partnership with you to develop an individualized treatment program and prognosis. This treatment program will almost always include a component of therapeutic exercises during and in between appointments. Your progress will be monitored at follow-up visits and your physiotherapist may adjust your treatment according to changes in your body. This therapeutic treatment plan will involve education, exercise, and manual therapy components. Depending on your condition, this may include mobilization, manual therapy, work hardening, techniques and modalities to reduce pain, acupuncture, corrective techniques to improve heart and lung function and cardiac conditioning, demonstration of therapeutic exercise, and education about your condition, treatment plan and prognosis for getting better. By combining the principles of evidence-informed practice, evaluative skills, clinical and professional judgment, your physiotherapist will work closely with you, and often with other health care professionals, to ensure that your health goals are met. The physiotherapists at Wellington Ortho & Rehab can be accessed with or without a referral from your family physician.
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What Do Physiotherapists Do Physiotherapists test and measure the functioning of the musculo-skeletal, neurological, pulmonary and cardiovascular systems; and treat physical problems caused by illness, injury or birth defect. While much of physiotherapy is rehabilitation from injury or illness, physiotherapists prefer to practice preventive health care. Physiotherapists are key members of the healthcare team. They work in close co-operation with physicians, psychologists, educators, and a variety of health care professionals.
The sooner physiotherapy begins, the quicker the recovery. Early physiotherapy also allows for complicated cases to be identified quickly. Our experienced physiotherapists at Wellington Ortho & Rehab will discuss with you how your pain affects your lifestyle and examine the joints, muscles and nerves in detail. Our focus is to resolve your pain and to fix your injury as quickly as possible.
Our qualified physiotherapists use exercise therapy, manual therapy techniques, electrical stimulation, acupuncture and self-management as the focus of our treatment programs. We review muscle imbalances and learned postural behaviors that may help your recovery.
All of our Physiotherapists are university educated and are regulated health professionals that play an important role within the health care community. The Physiotherapists at Wellington Ortho & Rehab can help to treat & prevent the following, among many others;
Physiotherapy can help restore strength, function, comfort and activity. Wellington Ortho & Rehab will help determine the most appropriate approach for effective recovery from what ails you!
The key benefits of physiotherapy are to:
Reduce Pain
Decrease swelling
Restore movement and function
Restore muscle strength
Enhance soft tissue healing
Correct muscle imbalances
Early intervention is critical to a speedy recovery. Research has proven that people who seek physiotherapy early after an injury have shorter recovery periods than those who wait.
Your initial physiotherapy assessment will be performed by one of Wellington Ortho & Rehab’s registered physiotherapists. Your initial visit typically lasts approximately an hour, depending on the type of injury. Your physiotherapist will take a thorough history and review your current condition. Any relevant tests will be performed to determine treatment goals specific to your particular needs. When this initial physiotherapy assessment is complete, your physiotherapist will provide you a with a clear description of what your condition is and a plan leading to a full recovery.
The fee for an assessment by a physiotherapist is $80. This visit normally takes one hour with the therapist. You will also receive a treatment during this initial visit. Each subsequent treatment has a fee of $45.
In general you will be able to have an assessment within 2-3 days. The frequency of appointments after your initial assessment depends on your condition and will be discussed at your first visit. Please call WORA at 519-837-2020, ext. 5 to make this initial appointment or click here to request an appointment.
You do not need a referral from your doctor prior to attending physiotherapy, as physiotherapists are considered primary health care providers. Some insurance plans require a doctor’s referral for you to be reimbursed for payment. Check with your workplace or insurer. WSIB and auto insurance companies do not require a doctor’s referral to pay for physiotherapy treatment. If you are paying for physiotherapy treatment yourself then you do not need a doctor’s referral.
Following your assessment, the physiotherapist will discuss your problem and a treatment plan with you. Usually acute injuries need to be treated two to three times weekly and are coupled with an exercise routine. More chronic problems may need treatment less frequently but over a longer time frame.
We accept payment by cash, cheque, debit, mastercard or visa. Physiotherapy services are covered by most extended health care benefit plans. We ask that you pay for services rendered weekly and then submit your receipt of payment to your insurer for reimbursement.
Some benefit plans require you to pay for a portion of each treatment, and some plans have a yearly maximum. Check with your insurance provider in advance so you fully understand your coverage. Also, understand that most plans require a physician’s referral before reimbursement is considered.
If your insurance provider is Greenshield, WOR is able to invoice them directly on your behalf. If you have injured yourself at work, your treatments are likely going to be covered by WSIB (Worker’s Safety and Insurance Board) or if you are receiving treatment as a result of a motor vehicle accident, we will invoice your auto insurance company directly.
Treatments are not covered by OHIP.
If you have a referral from your doctor, any paperwork from WSIB or your auto insurance company, or any test results please bring them with you. It is helpful if you bring or wear appropriate clothing for the physiotherapist to be able to examine you appropriately- this may be shorts or a tank-top, depending on your area of pain.
No. Like almost all private physiotherapy clinics, Wellington Ortho & Rehab does not provide services that are covered by OHIP. The Ontario Government stopped issuing OHIP billing licenses to private physiotherapy clinics decades ago. However, the vast majority of private extended health benefit plans provide coverage for physiotherapy. If you have an extended health benefit plan through your, or a family member’s workplace, you should check with your employer or plan provider for the details of your coverage. Also, if you’ve injured yourself at work or in an auto accident, you most likely have coverage for physiotherapy services via those insurance companies.
The vast majority of extended health benefit plans do provide physiotherapy coverage. However, you should always contact your insurance provider so that you clearly understand your coverage guidelines.
Yes. Your physiotherapist will complete the necessary paperwork that will enable you to be covered by the WSIB. We are registered with the WSIB and we are able to invoice the WSIB directly on your behalf. Given your claim is approved, the payment of your physiotherapy costs will not be your responsibility.
Yes. Given your motor vehicle accident insurance claim is approved, we are able to invoice your motor vehicle insurer directly on your behalf. Keep in mind that before your motor vehicle insurance company will reimburse for any physiotherapy costs, you will have to have exhausted any extended health benefit coverage you may have. This billing guideline is mandated by government legislation.
I was referred to another physiotherapy clinic in Guelph, but I’d like to come to Wellington Ortho & Rehab! Can I?
Yes. You are free to choose whichever private physiotherapy clinic you feel comfortable with. We feel strongly that we are uniquely positioned to provide an optimal physiotherapy service at Welllington Ortho & Rehab due to, among other things, our unique multi-disciplinary treatment center.
With your permission, your physiotherapist will discuss their clinical findings with your doctor and/or other members of your health care team. At South City, our reports to your doctor include; an initial assessment report, progress report(s) and a discharge report. As long as we have your authorization, the clinic sends these reports directly to your physician.
Please see our “Services” page for a complete listing of services
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