Answers to Common Therapy Treatment Questions

Yes. We take virtually all insurances. Action Physical Therapy is a preferred provider for almost all insurance plans in effect in Hawaii. We take time with each patient to verify coverage and benefits prior to therapy. We want you to be able to concentrate on healing, not paying.

At Action Physical Therapy, we do not use unlicensed personnel for clinical care. Unlike our competitors, all of our clinicians are licensed and/or certified.

Cancellation Policy

We understand things happen, so if you can't make your appointment, please call us. If you need to cancel, please call us with at least 24 hours notice so we have the opportunity to offer your appointment to another person. If less than 24 hours notice is given, you will be charged a $25 cancellation fee.

No-Show Policy

If you do not show up for a scheduled appointment, you will be charged a $40 no-show fee.

To cancel or postpone your appointment, please call the office phone at (808) 246-0144.

Action Physical Therapy is located in Lihue, Hawaii, at 4381 Kukui Grove Street, Suite #3, Lihue, Hawaii 96766. We are between the movie theater and Kukui Groove Mall. To view directions, please click here.

You do not need a referral from your doctor to utilize our services. Our physical therapists are well-trained and will get you started on recovery immediately. And you certainly don’t need a doctor’s referral to use Action Physical Therapy for superior personal training and fitness programs. However, you do need a physician's referral prior to starting therapy if a portion of your treatment is to be covered by insurance.

Originally, the staff worked out of HealthSouth. After HealthSouth closed, Steve and Lanae Nakamura purchased the clinic, and Action Physical Therapy was opened in November 2005. The entire staff from HealthSouth and all patients moved to the new clinic.

A physical therapist is a health care professional with at least a four-year degree and has passed a demanding physical therapy exam. A physical therapist specializes in the evaluation and treatment of various diagnoses that limit physical functioning. Our physical therapists work with you to restore health and foster optimal physical function.

At Action Physical Therapy, this means we begin each client relationship with a thorough examination to identify potential and existing problems. Before we create your personal program, we will discuss your history in detail and use established tests and measures to forecast how successful we can be in addressing your issue.

YOUR INITIAL EVALUATION

Visits are approximately one hour, where you will work with your personal therapist on different types of joint mobilization, therapeutic exercise, and soft tissue work. Your therapist will answer all of your questions related to your rehabilitation. You may be given home exercises to aid in achieving your treatment goals.

YOUR TREATMENT

At Action Physical Therapy, we emphasize supervised exercise and education. Our goal is for you to return to normal activities of daily living, work, and participation in sports or recreational activities. We do this by alleviating pain, swelling, and muscle guarding to improve joint motion. As you improve, your exercise program will progress to fit your needs for coordination, retraining motor patterns, balance, speed, endurance, and strength training. We can assist you with the transition from exercise for rehabilitation to exercise for health maintenance. Whether we are treating you for vertigo, carpal tunnel, a sports injury, or aches and pains, our goal is for you to feel better and to lead you on the path to a healthier, pain-free life.

Most physical therapy sessions last approximately 45 minutes to one hour. The frequency and duration of physical therapy are usually determined by your physical therapist during evaluation. Most patients are issued a home exercise program (HEP), which, with consistent performance and compliance, will decrease the time spent in physical therapy. We at Action Physical Therapy attempt to foster self-empowerment and independence when dealing with an injury.

You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that would make it easy to exercise in. Keep in mind the body part being treated; for example, knee patients should bring or wear shorts, and shoulder patients should wear loose-fitting T-shirts or tank tops to allow access to the shoulder.

Action Physical Therapy expects payment of copays/coinsurance/self-pay at the time of treatment. This will ease the burden of medical expenses at the conclusion of treatment.

A copay is a set rate by the insurance company that Action Physical Therapy collects during each physical therapy treatment session. Copays vary greatly between different insurance companies and different plans. Copays are not negotiable. Coinsurance is the remaining portion of a bill that is the patient’s responsibility. For example, in an insurance plan with 80/20, the patient is responsible for 20% of the billed charges. Action Physical Therapy asks patients to pay their estimated 20% at the conclusion of each treatment session. This payment is an estimated portion, and the intent is for the patient to have a zero or minimal balance at discharge from physical therapy.

Physical therapy attempts to improve function and alleviate pain to the greatest extent possible. In some cases, 100 percent recovery may not be realistic, and reoccurrences in discomfort, pain, and limitations of mobility may occur. Our therapists do their best to assist in the greatest recovery possible and attempt to avoid potential flare-ups. We will also help to establish a home exercise program so that you may continue your rehabilitation even after you are no longer coming to the physical therapy office.

It is important to realize that physical therapy is an active treatment approach. In almost all situations, it is imperative that the patient take an active role in the rehabilitation process. Those patients who take a committed role in their treatment program generally have better lasting results following discharge from physical therapy.

And even if your insurance coverage ends, you can continue to receive treatments and work with Action Physical Therapy for maintenance, easing pain, and improving overall health.