Bigger is Better: 5 Reasons That Isn't Always True

-Go big or go home!  Bigger is better! 
We have all heard these sayings and many times they ring true....the last minute of a football game when you are down by three points; when you decide to face your fears and finally go skydiving; when you decide to go back to school after 20 years and change your career.  Absolutely! 

But I have also come to realize that bigger isn't always better....BETTER is better.  And here is why that rings true in a private practice therapy setting.

1.   You are met with someone who truly believes in what they do.  I know that I can help you.  I believe in my profession and I believe in my skill set, or I wouldn't have taken the leap into private practice.  I left larger networks because it wasn't genuine.  I had to meet productivity guidelines and play the games of keeping people in network, not referring to someone who I felt was better skilled to help you, but instead to someone who worked for the same place I did, just because.  It shouldn't work that way.  I couldn't develop the programs to better serve my patients because it took 3 years to establish.  Now, if I want to develop an idea, it happens and it serves you faster!

2.  You get to work on YOUR goals.  Sure, you may mention what you want to get out of therapy at other places, but do you actually get to work on those things?  Does the therapist who is treating 4 patients at a time actually listen and hear what you are saying?  Maybe, maybe not.  In private practice, we set up your appointment times, not the secretary, so that you are best served.  Here, you are seen 90% of the time one-on-one.  That means 100% focus on YOU! 

3.  You get treated by certified therapists here too.  Did you know that I'm certified in just as many techniques as therapists who treat at the larger networks?  Here are just a few:

• LSVT BIG:  Parkinson's Disease
• Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS):  Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury
• Interactive Metronome (IM):  Auditory processing and attention issues
• Clinical Doctorate in OT vision remediation: Optometrist Directed Vision Therapy
• SAEBO:  Fitting of neurological hand orthosies
• Physical Agent Modalities (CPAM): Pain management, e-stim
• DriveABLE:  Driving assessment program

4.  It's not a gym.  For some, they only feel like they are participating in therapy if there is a lot of equipment and technology.  And that is ok.  But there is much to be said about simple, hands on techniques that focus on performance and skill, rather than fancy equipment and loud gym environments.  Concussion Rehab should not take place in an open gym.  LSVT BIG should not be performed while treating another person.  Hand therapy should not be 4 people sitting around a semi- circular table as the therapist moves down the line from person to person.  Occupational Therapy is skilled to look at the whole person, and if your clinician is only looking at your piece or part, know that you deserve more.  That's not what OT is.

5.  You may actually wind up paying less.  If you have a co-insurance, meaning you pay a percentage of each session prior to meeting your deductable, you will wind up paying more for less at big network hospitals.  The truth of the matter is, insurance companies reimburse private practice less.  Here is an example using round numbers for ease.  You are seen for 60 min and have a 25% co-insurance.  Private practice gets reimbursed $100, so you would pay $25 for the session.  Hospitals get reimbursed $400 for that same hour, doing the same techniques.  So now, you pay 25% of that....or $100.  Let's read that again.  $25 for private practice or $100 for larger networks!  Why would you pay more for less quality time?  Because they tell you that you have to stay in network....but guess what?  You don't.  You have the right to seek out any provider you want.  They still get updates from us; it's still uploaded to their systems; they can't make you go to them just because they say so.

So when it is time to pick a provider, remember that you have choices.  Do you want bigger....or BETTER?  It's really up to you.  And isn't that really what you want in your recovery?

​#OTCanHelp