NO! In Alabama, you can now visit a Physical Therapist without a referral from a doctor! This means you have what is called "Direct Access", and new Alabama law (May 2024) states that those therapists and patients who specifically practice in a cash-pay model will not EVER require oversight by a physician unless requested by the patient or therapist.

Your first visit begins with a comprehensive assessment and physical examination where our Dr Thompson will assess your function, diet, medications, lifestyle, movement, and much more while discussing your personal wellness and functional goals. From there, we begin personalized and individualized treatments and answer any questions you may have to ensure you feel comfortable and informed.

On-site visits occur at various strategic locations around the Birmingham, AL metro area (within a 35 mile radius of Downtown Birmingham). You can choose the location preference nearest you before booking your appointment. Virtual visits will occur via Zoom/Meet at the appointed time. Each type of PT visit will examine and assess the same things. Virtual visits are a little less expensive, but have less hands on examination, assessment and treatment.

Due to licensure restrictions, Thrive can only offer PT in the states in which Dr Thompson is licensed. This applies to telehealth/virtual visits as well. Physical therapy is defined as rehabilitation from an injury or recovery from an illness, as well as services deemed as physical therapy. Therefore, Functional Wellness services are not considered PT when provided in states in which Dr Thompson is not licensed to practice as a PT. Functional Wellness includes services that improve function and are often (though not solely) preventative in nature, such as injury prevention for athletes, changing home/work ergonomic spaces to reduce pain/injury/fall risk, and much more. Both PT and Functional Wellness are offered virtually.

The short answer is: no. We believe that insurance-based care is sick care, not care that provides what we need to THRIVE, or to live a life that helps us fulfill our purpose and design. If needed, we can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance provider for potential reimbursement, though this is not guaranteed.

In short, you get better treatment, have less visits, and get better quicker than with traditional clinic-based/insurance-based therapy. At most clinics, you would pay a $35-$60 copay to have an hour worth of treatment, likely divided between you and three other patients at a time. This means you get less direct care, and pay 600 or more a month for therapy costs. With Thrive and the cash-pay model, you get what you pay for, and get better quicker!