The BC Government has given the green light for personal health services to begin reopening their clinic doors for in-person treatment towards the end of May. This includes physiotherapy and chiropractic care. While our cherished clients are as excited as we are, we will also continue to offer virtual services along with traditional in-clinic treatment. Why?
Online physiotherapy is a tremendous gateway to in-person care as we prepare to march over the flattened curve towards the “new normal”. In fact, we plan on keeping our virtual services up and running for quite some time even after life returns to what it was months ago. Online services have proven to offer an effective transition platform for those who are new to physiotherapy. If you’re not yet ready or able to schedule your first in-person appointment you will find that the virtual model is a perfect place to start. Here’s why.
4 Reasons Why Virtual Physiotherapy is a Great Transition Step Towards In-Clinic Injury Treatment and Rehabilitation
1. You May Not Yet Be Comfortable in a Clinic Environment (and that’s OK)
Everyone is approaching the reopening of personal service businesses in a different way. Some are chomping at the bit to return to a brick and mortar environment where they can engage with professionals in-person. Others are not so comfortable. Even though we are exceeding all of the safety and sanitization standards dictated by governing bodies it may take you some time to get accustomed to face to face interaction with a physiotherapist – and that’s perfectly OK. You should absolutely move at your own pace, which is one of the key reasons why we will continue to provide online services. After a few sessions you may find that you’re ready to transition to the in-clinic environment, and when you do (on your terms) you will find it to be much easier than if you waited.
It’s important to note that your concerns about comfort may not be with respect to visiting the clinic so early in the reopening phase. Instead, you may not yet be comfortable getting here when you depend on public transportation. It’s certainly one thing to put your faith in a professional business which is dedicated to providing a healthy and safe environment, but can you expect the same from transportation services? Do you have that same trust in the Skytrain and bus? What about taxi and Uber/Lyft drivers? Probably not yet. Again, with online physiotherapy you can get started on your rehab until the day you feel ready to venture on to public transportation (as applicable).
2. There Will Be Limited In-Clinic Availability in the Beginning
While physiotherapy services are now permitted in-clinic, the doors won’t exactly be flying wide open. To ensure social distancing mandates are met, the number of appointments and office hours will be limited for the interim. While we encourage you to contact us to schedule your consultation and subsequent appointments as soon as possible (filling up fast!) a limited schedule may not yet accommodate your preferred time slots, especially if you too are heading back to work in light of the economic reopening. However, limited scheduling should not limit your ability to begin rehabilitation of an acute or chronic injury. This is where online physiotherapy comes to the rescue. You can get started on your rehab with a virtual consultation/session and then when schedules to align you will be able to transition to our clinic. In fact, this pattern can continue for the foreseeable future as you balance online and in-person treatment until our clinic returns to normal hours of operation and/or the initial wave of demand balances out.
3. In Case You Get the Sniffles
The BC Government has asked that anyone with the mildest cold or flu symptom avoid venturing out into the public. Yes, it’s most likely a common seasonal bug, but we are all expected to err on the side of caution. In the past a springtime allergy attack would not keep you from your physiotherapy appointment, nor would it concern your therapist. But now you’ll have to wait until well after that cough and sniffle subsides. This is another reason why we will keep our online services up and running. We don’t want you to wait to receive the best treatment possible. If you can’t make it into the clinic, you can simply schedule a virtual session for the time being.
4. It’s a Great Way to Get to Know Your Physiotherapist
All of this social distancing has made many people socially awkward. A day out may feel like the first day of school all over again. For others, it simply takes time to get to know some one before feeling comfortable (in general) in personal setting such as an in-clinic physiotherapy session. That can be true any time, any year, Whichever the case, telehealth and online conversations serve as a great ice-breaker. It allows you to get to know your new physiotherapist from the comforts of home. You will very quickly develop a rapport, and when ready to visit them in-person it will feel as if you’ve already known them for quite some time. It really is a great gateway to developing a relationship with your care provider.
View more about our online services here. If you’re still undecided about how to proceed we encourage you to call our clinic at 604.558.2273. We are more than happy to have a friendly conversation about the best path forward for you. Alternatively you can email us with any questions you have. We’re here for you, in-clinic and online.