How Aquacare Can Help Healthcare Providers

Aquacare Physical Therapy is proud to continue to serve the physical therapy, occupational therapy, and orthopedic rehabilitation needs of our community. Aquacare helps hospital systems, healthcare providers, and outpatient clinics by providing services both in our gym and aquatic locations and in the homes, fitness centers, and community pools where your patients live, work, and play.

Aquacare is a locally owned and operated private physical therapy business. We are women-owned and physical therapist-owned and have been providing outpatient physical therapy services in Delaware and Maryland for 25 years.

We specialize in many outpatient rehabilitation programs including orthopedic rehabilitation, spine, aquatics, sports medicine, pelvic health, lymphedema, cancer, vestibular, and neurological rehabilitation. We deliver the Wow Factor for our patients and staff through gym-based and warm-water aquatic physical therapy in 11 locations:

  • Lewes, Delaware (two locations)
  • Milford, Delaware
  • Millsboro, Delaware
  • Millville, Delaware
  • Seaford, Delaware
  • Salisbury, Maryland (two locations)
  • Berlin, Maryland,
  • Easton, Maryland
  • Annapolis, Maryland (Fitness Forum)

Find A Location

Now Offering Mobile Therapy with Aquacare PT PLUS!

In-home and mobile physical therapy services are extremely limited in this region, so we can offer huge value both to your patients and the community. Aquacare PT PLUS is here to help.

Your patients are asking for convenience! It is often difficult for patients to drive and attend therapy three times weekly at a clinic. We are here to provide easy access for those patients that cannot drive to attend therapy OR would prefer to have therapy in their home, golf course, or community pool!

Aquacare PT PLUS will provide a home therapist after the patient returns home, eliminating the need for inpatient rehabilitation or waiting for home health services to be scheduled.

This is for active adults; not patients who are home-bound.

How to Refer to Aquacare PT PLUS

Your patient does not have to be confined to their home to qualify.

Once a patient has been identified for Aquacare PT PLUS, the providers’ office will fax a referral to  Aquacare at 302-945-6959.

In the comments section of an outpatient physical therapy referral, please state:

Aquacare PT PLUS requested, surgery date: __________.

Please make sure the patient’s name, and contact information are on the referral.

Once we receive the order, we will call the patient to schedule the pre op home assessment visit and their 1-2 post operative visits with an Aquacare PT PLUS physical therapist prior to their surgery date.

Telehealth can also be offered if preferred by the patient.

Here is our contact information: 443-513-3910.

How Does Aquacare PT PLUS work?

 

Before Surgery Visit

Our therapists performs a home assessment evaluation preoperatively in a patient’s home and recommends a caregiver/coach be present at the time of the preoperative home assessment. (1 visit)

Aquacare PT PLUS recommends appropriate equipment and home modifications.

  • Answer questions to calm their fears about having the surgery and returning home post operatively from the hospital.
  • Perform/review the necessary transfers to return home safely. (stairs, car, bed, shower, toilet, etc.) with assistive device, if applicable.
  • Review post op precautions and HEP.
  • Discuss pain management options with ice, elevation, etc.
  • Take pre circumferential measurements.
  • Review plan for wound and drain care.

After Surgery Visits

  • The outpatient therapist will return post operatively for 1-2 visits (on average) after the patient returns home to help the patient transition back to the home and then to an outpatient therapy clinic.  This time in the home can be extended, if the patient has transportation difficulties to and from the outpatient therapy clinic.
  • During the post operative visit the following will occur.
    • Wound monitoring.
    • Start treatment protocol.
    • Gait and balance training.
    • Pain management during PT treatment.
    • HEP reviewed.

This program is covered under outpatient physical therapy services, including Medicare Part B, Medicaid, Humana, BCBS, UHC, W/C, Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.    

Who Qualifies for Aquacare PT PLUS – In the Home?

  • Patients who do not qualify for home health services.
    • Nursing oversight/management not needed.
      • Example: Patient is not receiving Coumadin post operative.
  • Patients are waiting for a home health appointment or outpatient in clinic appointment and there is a waitlist for access.
  • Patients who have exhausted their home health benefits.
  • Patients who have outpatient PT and OT benefits. (We will verify.)
  • Patients who expressed concern over their home setup and want to go to an SNF but can really transfer home safely with Aqucare PT PLUS.
    • We can perform Aquacare PT PLUS in their home, a friend’s home, or anywhere they are staying post operatively.

Aquacare PT PLUS vs. Home Health Services

With ongoing changes to the reimbursement structure, including the advent of alternative payment models, providers are looking for innovative ways to provide high-quality, cost-effective care.  In addition, quality of care, measured by patient outcomes and patient satisfaction scores, is also increasingly being used to determine reimbursement.  In response to these changes, Aquacare PT PLUS is offering an innovative program of pre and post operative individualized outpatient therapy visits in the home for surgical patients by a licensed physical therapist to help the patient transition home safely after surgery at the hospital or surgery center.

Cost Comparison

aquacare pt plus vs home health

Research Article:

Menon, Nandakumar, Turcotte, Justin, Stone, Andrea, Adkins, Amanda, MacDonald, James, King, Paul. “Outpatient, Home-Based Physical Therapy Promotes Decreased Length of Stay and Post-Acute Resource Utilization After Total Joint Arthroplasty.” The Journal of Arthroplasty. Volume 35: pages 1968-1972. 2020.  Pub Med: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32340828/