HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (WAFF) – A new law in Alabama allows people to see a physical therapist without needing a referral from a doctor.
The law came into force at the beginning of June and is intended to make everyday life easier for people who need physiotherapy.
However, an exception to the new law is that people without a doctor’s referral can only see a physiotherapist for 11 visits or 30 days.
Olivia Meadors, a physical therapist at Lystra Physical Therapy and Wellness, said the new law has made life easier for many of her patients.
She said that before the law came into force, referring a patient was just an additional hurdle for people to overcome.
Meadors also says she is happy that people are taking advantage of the new law.
“I think it’s helpful mainly because they didn’t have to wait in the doctor’s office,” Meadors said. “In many doctor’s offices, you might have to wait weeks or months to be seen by the doctors. That’s true for most of the people we’ve treated. It’s easier for them to just come in and not have to wait for the appointments when they know they probably want to try physical therapy anyway.”
Meadors said she was glad this law was finally passed in Alabama.
“Alabama is late to the game,” Meadors said. “I think this law has been in place in most other states for many years.”
There are some more serious conditions that physical therapists are not allowed to treat without a referral from a doctor.
For anything beyond this, a referral to a doctor is required.
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