Why do I need a physician's referral?

Many people have stopped by the clinic and asked for an appointment to see me because they have back pain after working in the yard or an ankle sprain after playing softball over the week-end. However, when my office staff asks them who their physician is that referred them, they answer that they didn’t realize they needed a referral.

Did you know that Indiana is the last state in the country that will not allow you to see a physical therapist without a referral from a physician? That is, physical therapists do not have “Direct Access” to potential patients. Despite our attempts to lobby the state legislators for your ability to see us, at least for your initial evaluation, without first seeing a physician we have been blocked by other interest groups over and over again.

This has been a frustrating issue for therapists all over the state. We believe patients would be getting more prompt care and get better more quickly if we were able to see them as soon as they needed it.

What do you think?