Why Cash Practice Physical Therapy May Be Better for You: And why it may even be LESS expensive than your in-network PT Mill!

There is a new trend in physical therapy designed to shift the balance of power back toward caregivers and patients. It's called the "Cash Practice Movement". Here we'll discuss how this not only empowers you, the client, to make the best decision for your physical health but also liberates skilled physical therapists EVERYWHERE from the handcuffs of the PT Mill and the constraints of a third party payment system.

PT Mill (noun): a rehab clinic setting where patients are numbers and simply shuffled along from one area of the clinic to another, most of the time by unskilled technicians and/or without any supervision.
The physical therapist in this setting becomes adept at managing traffic and less so at treating their clients effectively.

This business model for medical care is not a new one. Professionals in the fields of dentistry, specialty medicine and even surgery have begun to operate this way. All in the name of PATIENT SATISFACTION and doing what is NEEDED not just what is easy to document so the doc doesn't get left eating the cost! After all, when did the objective of medical care shift from getting completely better to 'how cheaply you could be cared for'?  

In a cash practice maximum accessibility and value are stressed. Have a question for the doctor? They will answer it thoroughly. Need some extra hands on care? They will be excited to give it to you. Valuable patient education and teamwork are hallmarks of cash practices. And another great bonus: ALL of this great treatment and you are still 100% entitled to reimbursement by your health insurance provider.

Almost all of us who have health insurance have out-of-network benefits. Knowing your out-of-network coverage, your total out of pocket maximums and deductibles should be the main points of your health coverage that you keep at top of mind. If you know this info you're doing what is needed to stay in the driver's seat of your care. 

In a blog post that came across my desk recently, an MD colleague of ours eloquently wrote about 'what would happen if a restaurant were operated in the same manner as a medical practice'. This piece is ESSENTIAL reading for anyone who is looking to be their own best health care advocate.

"Alas, I wish this were a fictional tale, but it is not.
The only fictional portion is that this is
not your favorite restaurant,
but your favorite doctor’s office, which is responsible not for meeting your dining needs, but those of your health."

With greater volumes of clients comes less attention to any one client. This isn't a value statement; this is math.

Clinicians working in a cash practice STUFF AS MUCH TREATMENT AS POSSIBLE into each visit. The 'PT Mill' employs a different strategy: to be judicious about the amount of time that is spent with any one patient so that the clinic can bill your insurance company for many different units/CODES (the special language of health insurance billing).

In a conversation that our office administrator recently had with an insurance company, she was actually advised to, "make sure that she and the our therapists were aware about each clients' treatment allowances". That, "each client is only WORTH what that insurance company dictates they are WORTH", and that, "if that client needs 30 minutes of intensive hands on care, but we had been told they would only be allowed to bill for 20 minutes, just don't treat them for that extra time" (read: unnecessary time according to a pencil pusher behind a desk with NO medical background). This is the best example I've ever heard of an attempt at third-party-dictated-care.

No offense to pencil pushers the world over, but this group of people are different; they are SUPPOSED to be on your side!! They are most certainly not. I, like our office administrator and I'm sure YOU, am APPALLED at this. This is not the reason that any of us went into the physical therapy field and until the premium-paying-public truly understands that this is going on behind the scenes, less valuable and less effective care will continue to be the norm.WE, the physical therapists, the physicians, the surgeons; WE are in your corner. We want what's best for each of our clients and those of us who operate as fee-for-service professionals are the ones who will always be able to provide our clients with THE CARE YOU NEED.

As it turns out, our clients are great advocates for themselves AND for rehab practices like ours! Little excites us more than to keep the friends and family of our clients pain free and moving well. In an email to a friend, one of our clients laid this info out: 

In-Network provider:

• $30.00 / 60 min visit, with approximately 15 min contact time with PT provider. 
• I would go 3x/week totaling approximately 180 min of my time, and 45 min of contact time with PT provider.
• Total out of pocket expense: $90.00
• Treatment: several months
• Results: no improvement.

SPARK Physiotherapy (out-of-network provider):

• $125.00 / 60 min visit, with approximately 60 min contact time with PT provider.
• I would go 1x/week totaling approximately 60 min of my time, and 60 min of contact time with PT provider.
• Total out of pocket expense: $125.00, less 50% of the maximum allowable reimbursement from my insurance, totaling about $95.00 out of pocket.
• Treatment: 2 months
• Results: significant improvement and return to normal activities.

Ours are the clients who expect more than just good enough. They seek high quality care but with the reassurance that they will receive the reimbursement they are entitled to because we go through the trouble of billing that person’s insurance on their behalf.

All physical therapists and clinics are not created equal. I am teaming up with colleagues across the country who are emphatic about this. People who go to physical therapy clinics that bill every insurance company under then sun don’t realize that they’re getting higher volume/lower quality care. PTs working in PT Mills always have good intentions, but there is no way to learn your patients' complete story when you have only 15 minutes with them and maybe 2, 3, or even 4 patients waiting to be seen at the same time.
Regardless of the skill level of the therapist, it is impossible to deliver the quality that we deliver because of the amount of time and effort we expend on each individual. The extra effort spent with hands on, with eyes on and providing detailed education translates into clients who get better faster and with a more valued experience. If more people knew that there is another option, they would likely think twice before accepting care in a 'mill'. I'm excited to say that we are helping lead the initiative to reestablish the concept of VALUE in physical therapy.
 

In a recent article in Forbes magazine, this trend is analyzed and appears to be in line
with the way more consumers would like to be treated.

The term cash practice may scare off some people because they believe it must be more expensive. Simply put, at a cash practice you will pay for high-level care and get the best result possible. In many of these clinics they will assist you in billing your insurance company for reimbursement. Out of pocket expense is comparable, but the quality of care is much greater.

 

There are cash practices out there. We are always updating our own referral network here at SPARK Physiotherapy. If you are looking for a cash practice outside of the Northern Virginia area, we want to hear from you.

 

Dr. Carlos J Berio, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS, CMTPT is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist. In addition he holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology. He has treated high school, collegiate, recreational, and professional athletes of various sports including baseball, softball, football, hockey, tennis, swimming, golf and the martial arts. His experience as a collegiate and semi-professional athlete as well as a professional baseball coach make him a sought after resource among elite level athletes on the field and in the training room. The concept of 'all the way well' in his work as a physical therapist and fitness professional is what continues to drive Dr. Berio to be the best movement specialist there is.

Dr. Berio is the founder of SPARK Physiotherapy in Alexandria, Virginia. A clinic and approach designed from the ground up to set the new standard for integrity and patient satisfaction in the PT industry. Carlos remains active in several sports and enjoys agility training, power lifting and adventure races. He is an advocate for his patients, clients and his fellow PT colleagues. He can be reached at cjberio@sparkphysio.com.

SPARK Physio Radio: Why Cash Practice Physical Therapy May Be Better for You

In this episode of the SPARK Physio Radio Show Dr. Carlos Berio talks about what a cash practice is and why it might be better for you and your physical therapist in the quest to get out of pain and get all the way well.

Click on the player below to listen to the show now. 
(Also available as a free download on iTunes!)

Listen to internet radio with SPARK Physiotherapy on BlogTalkRadio

Dr. Carlos J Berio, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS, CMTPT is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist. In addition he holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology. He has treated high school, collegiate, recreational, and professional athletes of various sports including baseball, softball, football, hockey, tennis, swimming, golf and the martial arts. His experience as a collegiate and semi-professional athlete as well as a professional baseball coach make him a sought after resource among elite level athletes on the field and in the training room. The concept of 'all the way well' in his work as a physical therapist and fitness professional is what continues to drive Dr. Berio to be the best movement specialist there is. 

Dr. Berio is the founder of SPARK Physiotherapy in Alexandria, Virginia. A clinic and approach designed from the ground up to set the new standard for integrity and patient satisfaction in the PT industry. Carlos remains active in several sports and enjoys agility training, power lifting and adventure races.  He is an advocate for his patients, clients and his fellow PT colleagues. He can be reached at cjberio@sparkphysio.com.

Getting in the Driver's Seat of Your Own Health: Who Should Ride Shotgun and Who You Should Kick to the Curb

YOU need to be looking out for number one. Integrity in the sales and education of the public in health, preventative medicine and pain is becoming completely extinct. There are a few brave souls out there still trying to fight the good fight. The few of us will never have as loud a voice as the people pushing the "magic pill" but if you look hard enough you will find us. When you do find that skilled clinician and advocate for real improvement, help them grow their roots stronger so that we can weather the storm of fitness myth, fat loss legend and cure-all super pills.

It has become our mission to help our clients weather the 'nonsense storm' of misinformation shielded by our years of experience and formal training. If we are not riding shotgun with you, navigation will be tough.

The first lesson in getting all the way well is in finding the people you will put in your corner to look after your health. Every prize fighter has a corner. Every race car driver has their pit crew. These teams are specifically skilled to assess problems before they can interfere with the function of the overall system and to fix problems when they arise. Why should this level of proactive care only happen at these elite levels? We are all entitled to be treated in this way and if you follow these steps, you can be.

As a general rule, a good first question to ask a potential provider is, "How much time will I be spending with you during each visit?" Another great question to ask is "How do I reach you if/when there is a problem that needs to be addressed?" Your team members should be ACCESSIBLE! After all, what is the use of a great team if when you need to see one of them you have to wait 3-4 weeks? Once you've got this info, you should be able to use the following to complete your team.

You need:
1. General Practitioner (GP)/Family Physician:
This has to be someone you really trust. Some GPs spend a lot of time explaining and educating. These are the people you must look for. 
Your GP is your go-to for all things medical 'illness' and to keep your vital medical info handy so that a problem can be picked up early. Physicians are the experts of your organs. A great resource to have, of course. You will see this physician once or twice per year at least. Bad stomach bug? Bad sore throat? Energy level takes a dip? Rapid and unexpected weight loss? Fever? Pain that doesn't resolve after a few days or with a change of body position? These are some reasons to reach out to this member of your team ASAP!

2. Specialist Physician(s):
You may find that there is an issue that needs more regular attention or a deeper knowledge of a single body system (read: kidneys, heart, joints, etc). These pros exist because of the level of depth with which they can assess and treat medical issues. In addition, these are the physicians who can perform surgery if it becomes necessary. The  best orthopedic physicians will all tell you that if an injury or pain can be treated conservatively (without surgery) then you should do that. This is how surgeons and physical therapists have formed such an amazing relationship over history.

Unfortunately, my experience has led me to believe that most physicians don’t understand the difference between PT clinics and PTs. Their understanding is similar to what the general public thinks: that all PT is kind of the same whether you go to SPARK or you go to any other physical therapy “mill”.

3. Physical Therapist (PT):
Your PT is your musculoskeletal (muscle, bone, joint, nerve, MOVEMENT) expert. Movement and pain are in OUR wheelhouse. Basically, if it hurts when you move, your PT is the person to see. The bonus about having a PT in your corner is that in most states anyone can see a PT right away and without a referral. This is called 'direct access'. SPARK Physiotherapy is a direct access certified clinic. We use this to our clients' advantage because the majority of injuries are treated most effectively when we can see folks IMMEDIATELY after the injury happens.

The other bonus is that a PT's training spans many different orthopedic body systems. Lots of times, we'll see a client for an evaluation and that client has done a lot of research on their own or consulted their GP. Many times, while the diagnosis we see from a GP may be close, the true mechanical issue requires more thorough examination. Sometimes a problem that looks and feels like a herniated disc, for example, may actually be an issue of muscular or nerve tissue tension. This is where the manual physiotherapist shines! We are able to look at the entire movement picture and truly hone our care toward the problem area and not just the symptoms. This give our clients the most relief and the best chance that this issue does not crop up again. Just as you would see your GP regularly to make sure that everything is in working order, you should see your PT regularly for what we call a 'tune-up'. We'd much rather see our clients when they are pain free and work to keep them that way instead of only seeing them when they've had an injury that could have been avoided if we would have pointed out areas of weakness and addressed them.

Clients nowadays are so well educated and come with very good questions. Always feel free to question your physician or PT. Those of us who truly value the patient education experience enjoy explaining our methods to clients who express an interest.

In addition to the high level skills, like trigger point dry needling (pictured here) and cutting edge manual techniques we use, we work hard to provide the highest level of patient education. Our patients truly understand what it is we are looking at. Our patients become very intimate in the knowledge of their pain and their issues. Not only do we see them acutely and help them relieve pain now, we also teach them markers for when they should be seeing other practitioners. Often times, because pain can be dealt with in our office, patients start to realize, “ok well if this happening I should go to Dr. Berio immediately.”

Another thing we do differently is stay in close contact with our patients so if they have and questions they can shoot us an email or give us a phone call and we respond quickly. That’s not something that is a common occurrence, unfortunately, in PT or in medicine across the board. 

This is a key to being a good advocate for yourself –doing the research, finding out what makes the physical therapist that your going to see different. Just like if you were looking for a new dentist or a new GP or if you were about to undergo surgery, you would look for the best surgeon. Once you've found your PT, make sure that your  GP, specialist physician and other pros know who they should be partnering with to ensure that all of their patients are treated the best way possible.

Our clients become better advocates for themselves because they are armed with knowledge to treat themselves or to consult with a member of their team ASAP if an issue arises.

4. Dentist:
This one is a no brainer! There is no medical professional other than a dentist that can take care of your teeth like these folks. Have tooth pain or just want to stay ahead of the curve to keep those pearly whites gleaming? Make sure to have a good dentist in your corner.
However, from what we have learned via the most recent literature, some issues that were thought to be in the dentists' wheelhouse are proving to be better taken care of by our PT colleagues.

For example, temporomandibular joint pain/disease, mostly known by it's acronym 'TMJ', is an issue that may not be related to your teeth or jaw at all! Dentists are trained in teeth and not muscle, therefore they may miss out on properly treating some of their patients with this diagnosis. According to the most recent literature, about 47% of TMJ sufferers would be better suited seeking treatment directed at the soft tissues and muscles associated with the face, jaw and neck that REFER pain to the jaw and teeth! This is the job of a good manual PT! Neat, huh?

5. Alternative/Complimentary Disciplines:
Lots of people will reserve space in their corner for acupuncturists, nutritionists, massage therapists, chiropractors or personal fitness trainers. This is also a good idea. Some people feel that having an expert in these disciplines helps to fill gaps between other professionals' knowledge.

A good team has good communication. So as long as the ring leader (YOU!) is keeping track of everything and there isn't too much confusion about what the other pros are doing, you are doing exactly what you need to.

6. Coaches??
More people are working as hard as they can to excel at sports or other activities. What an awesome situation to be in! A team of pros dedicated to making sure that you function at the highest level and then seeing it all come together in the performance of a high level task. This is where we wish all of our clients wanted to be. The thing to be sure of here is that your 'skills' expert is aware of any movement or function issues that may be preventing you from performing a drill or exercise with perfect technique.

A good example of this is one that we see a lot. We working lots with agility and power athletes. Specifically rotary sports athletes like baseball and softball players, golfers, and throwers of all kinds. The higher level athletes we see almost always have a skills coach, sometimes more than one. The common line is, "My coach wants me to be able to do this drill but no matter how many times we work on it, I can't seem to improve". This is a dead give away that this persons body is simply not allowing them to perform the task. It has nothing to do with whether this young man or woman WANTS to do it correctly. If the task is asking you to move your hips in a way that you simply cannot, for whatever reason, the coach can yell until they're blue in the face, that specific movement WILL NOT HAPPEN. At least not in the exact way that the coach would like and then this leads to a lot of compensation movement which leads to injury.

So, who do you think is the best equipped professional listed here for assessing the movement quality of all the body systems?? Of course, the PT. The only true MOVEMENT SPECIALIST. We can take into account all of the systems that combine to produce powerful, coordinated and pain free motion.

Personally, I have a GP, a dentist, a 'knee doc', a 'shoulder doc' and a 'foot/ankle doc', and a golf pro. As we all  move and excel, we transition from amateur to advanced level movements. Sometimes during this journey, we can get dinged up trying to improve. Aligning the correct professionals and maintaining an active dialogue between each of them will keep you moving at a high level.

Who should NOT be calling the shots when it comes to your care?
People speak about their health insurance the same way they speak about a friend that no one else likes. You don’t see what’s happening behind the scenes! If you had great insurance you would have an accessible doctor who doesn’t make you wait and has plenty of time to spend with you. Another thing folks need to realize is that no matter how much you pay for health insurance premiums, the professionals delivering your services are still restricted in the amount of time and scope of service they can offer you because the insurance company is ultimately going to make the call on what will be paid for. Quite the conundrum for the pro who just wants to help you!

If your insurance is so good, why are your doctors' visits still getting shorter?
The answer:

Your well-meaning physician reports to your insurance that they saw you on a given day and the reason for the visit. Your insurance company almost ALWAYS counters with a denial. This is the first line defense to having to pay for anything. Truthfully, this is enough to dissuade some pros from seeking reimbursement for that service. The problem is that after enough denials, the pro will simply stop offering that service for fear of the long and tedious process to recover their due reimbursement, regardless of how effective or important that service is for your care. Each day we see third-party reimbursement decreasing while premiums are continuing to increase. 

YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY IS LOOKING AFTER PROFITS, 

NOT PATIENTS!! 

As long as this continues to happen, we are going to see lower quality care and higher volumes of patients.

As we continue to practice, the list of practitioners that we work with and refer our own clients to grows. At SPARK, through our experience, we have developed a network of folks in surgery and in medicine who are very gifted. When you are looking around for the best people and doing your research you may not know what questions to ask. Come to us and ask, “What should I ask my knee surgeon?” Even if we cannot help you, we're more than happy to point you in the best direction so that you can get all-the-way-well.

Dr. Carlos J Berio, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS, CMTPT is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist. In addition he holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology. He has treated high school, collegiate, recreational, and professional athletes of various sports including baseball, softball, football, hockey, tennis, swimming, golf and the martial arts. His experience as a collegiate and semi-professional athlete as well as a professional baseball coach make him a sought after resource among elite level athletes on the field and in the training room. The concept of 'all the way well' in his work as a physical therapist and fitness professional is what continues to drive Dr. Berio to be the best movement specialist there is. 

Dr. Berio is the founder of SPARK Physiotherapy in Alexandria, Virginia. A clinic and approach designed from the ground up to set the new standard for integrity and patient satisfaction in the PT industry. Carlos remains active in several sports and enjoys agility training, power lifting and adventure races.  He is an advocate for his patients, clients and his fellow PT colleagues. He can be reached at cjberio@sparkphysio.com.

SPARK Physio Radio: Why YOU Should be in the Driver's Seat of Your Health

In this episode of the SPARK Physio Radio Show Dr. Carlos Berio discusses why physical therapy patients need to be their own best advocates and who should be in the driver's seat of their health care decisions (and who shouldn't!).

Click on the player below to listen to the show now. 
(Also available as a free download on iTunes!)

Listen to internet radio with SPARK Physiotherapy on BlogTalkRadio

Dr. Carlos J Berio, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS, CMTPT is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist. In addition he holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology. He has treated high school, collegiate, recreational, and professional athletes of various sports including baseball, softball, football, hockey, tennis, swimming, golf and the martial arts. His experience as a collegiate and semi-professional athlete as well as a professional baseball coach make him a sought after resource among elite level athletes on the field and in the training room. The concept of 'all the way well' in his work as a physical therapist and fitness professional is what continues to drive Dr. Berio to be the best movement specialist there is. 

Dr. Berio is the founder of SPARK Physiotherapy in Alexandria, Virginia. A clinic and approach designed from the ground up to set the new standard for integrity and patient satisfaction in the PT industry. Carlos remains active in several sports and enjoys agility training, power lifting and adventure races.  He is an advocate for his patients, clients and his fellow PT colleagues. He can be reached at cjberio@sparkphysio.com.

PT Mills: Why Physical Therapy Doesn’t Work Anymore

What is wrong with the state of Physical Therapy (PT) as a practice?

Physical therapy (PT) as a discipline has been changing. In the past, a client could be evaluated and treated by a licensed PT with great confidence that everything that needed to be done to achieve pain free movement was going to happen. It was a proud profession with the noble goals of bringing clients out of the darkness of pain.

Nowadays, PT clinics, and PTs themselves, have made a violent shift in focus toward high volume. Clinics are over-stuffed with patients vying for the eyes, ears and hands of fewer PTs. The therapist becomes a glorified crossing guard; managing traffic, logistics and paperwork. The high level care that we are capable of is more often passed off to aides and technicians, most of which hold no license and have minimal training. Oh, but it’s ok, because the PT is somewhere in the same building, so it’s just like the PT is providing all of the care, right? NO!

What Went Wrong? Third Party Payers (aka Health Insurance)

Quality care, patient outcomes and overall customer service are falling away. The number one reason for this shift is the increased involvement of third-party-payers (health insurance) in the making of health care decisions. People have become accustomed to rely on their health insurance to pay for these services. Patients have been trained to place a lower value on PT. Physical therapy clinics have realized this and placed untrained staff into key positions to offset costs and assist with the added volume of patients needed to operate.

The Birth of the Dreaded “PT Mill”:
The Churn and Burn Widget Factory of Physical Medicine

The goals of the PT Mill are to:

1.      Get as many people as possible through the door
2.      Highly research potential patients’ insurance coverage and maximums
3.      Take extreme advantage until benefits are exhausted
     a)  Oh, and if the patient gets a little better along the way, that’s great!

Physical therapists by nature are passionate about helping people and very highly trained to do so. However, a therapist practicing in a PT Mill, is stretched very thin. It becomes logistically impossible for each patient to get the quality care they need to get all the way well.

The Solution: Get Back in the Driver’s Seat and Get All the Way Well

It starts with doing your homework! When you call to set up an evaluation or treatments, ask:

1.      How much time will I spend with the PT each time I have a session?

     a)  Is this a PT Mill/factory?
2.      What is the blend of manual treatments to self-guided exercise?
3.      What special skills do your physical therapists possess to ensure I can get back to my favorite activities without pain?
4.      What happens after I’m done with PT? Is there a system in place to make sure my pain/issue stays fixed?
5.      What about wellness and fitness programming?
Are you seeking a PT with specific skills? Manual/hands-on skills? Dry needling? Sports specific rehab? While we may not all be athletes it’s uncommon that ALL you will need to be able to do is ‘go up and down a set of stairs’ or ‘sit quietly at your desk’.

How Physical Therapists Can Make a Difference

If you are a physical therapist that wants to be an ‘all-the-way-well’ PT you can take action too! Your patients are smarter and better informed than all who have come before them. They are connected to message boards, activity groups and other exercise and health professionals. Ask them “Who do you read for advice about X?” or “Where did you learn about that manual technique?” Use and stay current with these resources to add tools to your toolkit.

The Therapeutic Alliance

More importantly, is to place the patients’ goals and education back on top of the list of priorities.  Teach them why you are doing certain techniques and not others. Explain evidence-based practice to them. Answer all questions thoroughly. Help them understand the process! By ensuring that each treatment addresses this premise you will improve the therapeutic alliance; this is the trust that comes from your patient when they truly feel that you are doing what is best for them.

Physical Therapy that Works: The SPARK Physiotherapy Difference

We have been doing our best to stem this tide. At our clinic, SPARK Physiotherapy in Alexandria, Virginia,  all of our treatment is 100%, one-on-one work with our patients. We work hard each day to ensure that the client experience is optimized. Their PT is not a chore, but a highlight of their day. They will leave each session with less pain, more strength, more control and more confidence that they have made the best choice in physical performance and health.

Our clients are not ok with ‘good-enough’ PT. Our clients have true movement and performance goals. We rely heavily on manual techniques, trigger point dry needling (an advanced skill in soft tissue manipulation), corrective exercise for maximum functional mobility and we TEACH. We educate our patients on every type of treatment, every exercise, and all aspects of their care.

As true MOVEMENT specialists, we have created a setting where we are passionate about doing more for our patients than manage traffic.

To listen to Dr. Berio discuss this topic and how SPARK Physiotherapy is taking a better approach to physical therapy, click on the player below to listen to this episode of

SPARK Physio Radio:

Listen to internet radio with SPARK Physiotherapy on Blog Talk Radio

Dr. Carlos J Berio, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS, CMTPT is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist. He has treated high school, collegiate, recreational, and professional athletes of various sports including baseball, softball, football, hockey, tennis, swimming, golf and the martial arts. His experience as a collegiate and semi-professional athlete as well as a professional baseball coach make him a sought after resource among elite level athletes on the field and in the training room. Carlos remains active in several sports and is an avid agility training, power lifting and adventure race runner.  He can be reached at cjberio@sparkphysio.com.

SPARK Physio Radio: Where Physical Therapy Went Wrong

In this episode of the SPARK Physio Radio Show Dr. Carlos Berio talks about what's wrong with the practice of physical therapy today and how patients and physical therapists can help turn treatment - and the profession - around with easy steps that will help you to get "all the way well."

Click on the play below to listen to the show now.
(Also available as a free download on iTunes!)

Listen to internet radio with
SPARK Physiotherapy on Blog Talk Radio

Dr. Carlos J Berio, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS, CMTPT is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist. He has treated high school, collegiate, recreational, and professional athletes of various sports including baseball, softball, football, hockey, tennis, swimming, golf and the martial arts. His experience as a collegiate and semi-professional athlete as well as a professional baseball coach make him a sought after resource among elite level athletes on the field and in the training room. Carlos remains active in several sports and is an avid agility training, power lifting and adventure race runner.  He can be reached at cjberio@sparkphysio.com.