Information About Visits

What Happens During My First Visit?

Registration: You will first be greeted by our front office staff and asked to complete the new patient forms, which you can download by clicking here, complete them at home, and bring them with you to your first visit.

Prescription/referral on file: If your doctor has not sent our office a copy of your prescription, you will need to bring your prescription to your first appointment. Need help getting a prescription from your doctor’s office? Simply call the Source One office you wish to visit, provide your physician contact information, and our patient representatives will be happy to assist you.

Verify insurance benefits: We will copy your insurance card and verify your benefits. If you would like us to check with your insurance company before your visit to determine the terms of your coverage and benefits, call the Source One office you wish to visit, provide your insurance card information, and one of our staff will assist you. As a courtesy to our patients, we will also file insurance claims on your behalf.

Therapist evaluation: You will be seen for the initial evaluation by a therapist.

What Do I Need To Bring With Me?

Bring your physical therapy referral ( should be provided by your doctor).
Bring your payment information.
Bring your insurance card (Only if If your insurance is covering the cost of physical therapy).
If workers’ compensation is covering your therapy, bring your claim number and your case manager’s contact information.
If you are covered through auto insurance or an attorney lien or letter of protection (LOP), make sure you bring this info

What Happens During the Initial Evaluation?

Initial evaluations usually take one hour, including the paperwork required for a patient to be seen by a therapist. This paperwork can be downloaded and completed at home.

During the initial evaluation, your therapist will discuss the following:

Your medical history
Your current problems/complaints
Pain intensity, aggravations and eases of the problem
How the problem impacting your daily activities or your functional limitations
What are your goals for physical therapy
Medications, tests, and procedures related to your health

The therapist will then evaluate the injuries and symptoms you are having, which may include some of the following:

Range of Motion (ROM): The therapist will have to move your joint(s) to check for the quality of movement and any restrictions.
Muscle Testing: The therapist may check for strength and quality of the muscle contraction. Pain and weakness is typically noted, and the muscle strength is determined. This is also part of a neurological screening.
Palpation: Touching in and around the area of the pain and/or problem. This is done to check for the presence of tenderness, swelling, integrity of soft tissue, inflammation, tissue temperature, etc.
Posture Assessment: The positions of joints relative to ideal and each other may be assessed.
Neurological Screening: Your therapist may also check how your nerves are communicating with your muscles, sensing touch, pain, vibration, or temperature. Reflexes may be assessed also.
Special Tests: Special tests may be performed by the therapist to confirm/rule out the presence of additional problems.

At the end of the evaluation, your therapist will determine how to appropriately treat your injury and symptoms. He or she will develop a treatment plan with input from you and your doctor. Your treatment plan will include how many times you should see a therapist per week, how many weeks you will need therapy, home programs, patient education, both short and long-term goals, and what to expect after discharge from therapy.

How Should I Dress?

Wearing loose-fitting clothing helps us easily reach the area that we will be evaluating and treating. For example, if you are having knee problems, it would be best to wear shorts. For a shoulder problem, a tank top is a good choice, and for low back problems, wearing a loose-fitting shirt and pants helps us perform a thorough examination. Workout and athletic clothing are appropriate.

How Long Will Each Treatment Last?

Treatment sessions typically last an hour per visit. Initial evaluations can sometimes take longer if additional testing is needed.

How Many Visits Will I Need?

The number of visits you will need is highly variable. It depends on your diagnosis, the severity of your injury and impairments, and your medical history amongst other things. You will be re-evaluated on a regular basis and when you see your doctor. We will provide the doctor’s office with a progress report with our recommendations.

When Is Your First Available Appointment Time?

Source One strives to make appointment times available to patients the same day they are referred. Generally we are able to see patients within 24 hours or less from the time the doctor’s referral is received. If you would like to request an appointment time, call us at one of our convenient DFW locations and speak directly with our friendly patient care coordinators.