Looking for the Best Physiotherapy in Whitby?
How to Find the Best Physiotherapy in Whitby
Where is the best physiotherapy in Whitby? Who is the best physiotherapist in Whitby?
The vast majority of folks dealing with an injury or pain likely want the best of the best to manage their treatment.
I personally know many who are amazing at what they do. Amongst them, I may even find the best physiotherapist for myself. Here’s the tricky part though – the best physiotherapy for me and my requirements are often not the same as yours.
You see, there are a number of things that determine who is the best physiotherapist for you. I chose to discuss the 5 most critical factors to use when searching for the best physiotherapist in Whitby. Let’s begin.
1. Are the Clinic Hours Flexible and Convenient for You?
This is an important and overlooked factor for a number of reasons. First, modern physiotherapy is very hands-on and active. Hence, the sessions often require you to be focused and able to move and follow instructions.
If you cannot find the right time for yourself or if you feel rushed, you won’t get the most out of your treatment. Aim for clinics that have good operating hours and flexibility with scheduling. They’ll prioritize your time and you’ll get more out of your physiotherapy experience.
2. Do they Emphasize Exercise, Education, and Hands-on Treatment?
The best physiotherapy treatments by far are (in order based on research): education, exercise, and manual therapy (hands-on treatment). Clinics that implement these as their core focus may be more likely to achieve successful patient outcomes.
When looking for the best physiotherapy in Whitby, do your due diligence and ask the reception staff about the types of treatment involved. A red flag to look out for is when the front staff are unaware of the types of treatments offered by their physiotherapists. If they can’t sufficiently explain what they do, that’s a bad sign in my opinion at least.
Treatment plans should also be tailored to the patient based on assessment findings. This means each patient will receive unique care that is specific to their needs. In contrast, the cookie-cutter model of care is the approach where everyone gets the same general treatment, regardless of unique assessment findings.
3. Does the Clinic Offer the Expertise You’re Looking for?
Did you injure yourself? Did you just come out of surgery? Are you dealing with vertigo? Do you have rheumatoid arthritis and need to begin treating it? All of these require a special skill set. Some of the best physiotherapists can treat multiple conditions while others are more specialized.
That is why doing your own research on the best physiotherapy in Whitby is crucial. Check out the services they offer. Look at the third party reviews (e.g. Google reviews). Read both the good and bad reviews, and see how the owners handled any issues in the bad ones. Call the clinic and ask questions.
4. Is There Ample One-on-One Time With the Physiotherapist?
One-on-one care is an important point I’d like to make. The sheer number of clinics to choose from makes finding the right one a daunting task. One differentiating factor can be time the physiotherapist can invest in you.
I get that clinics can get busy and fee structures can determine the session time. There’s certainly a need for support staff like kinesiologists and physiotherapy assistants. And funding sources like extended health benefits, WSIB, and OHIP can also limit how much they’ll cover for treatment.
But one thing that shouldn’t be sacrificed is the patient getting enough time with the physiotherapist to:
1) Be completely heard, and
2) Have their treatment completed as effectively as required.
There doesn’t necessarily have to be a specific amount of time – as long as the patient-therapist interaction occurred successfully, you’re good to go.
5. Is The Clinic Run and Owned By A Physiotherapist?
Registered physiotherapists are regulated health professionals. The actions of all physiotherapists are governed by the standards created by the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO). The CPO is a regulatory body that protects the public and ensures physiotherapists are meeting and/or exceeding standards.
However, not all clinics are owned and run by Registered Physiotherapists. This is important because the Physiotherapists in these clinics aren’t always in control of the policies and clinic actions that can impact the patients. These include factors like:
- Handling of patient information
- Billing practices
- Conflict of interest
- Referral practices
- Advertising standards
- Health and safety policies and protocols
As a physiotherapist, we must maintain standards in all of these areas. But if the clinic isn’t run and owned by a physiotherapist, it may be harder to make sure these standards are met.
A physiotherapist-owned clinic may be more likely to act in the best interests of the patients. Their vested interest in patient care and outcomes can make them a great candidate to receive the best physiotherapy in Whitby.
So, Where Is the Best Physiotherapy in Whitby?
Searching for the best physiotherapist in Whitby can be near impossible unless you do your own research.
It can take a little time, but it’s definitely worth finding the perfect physiotherapist for you!
