July 12, 2025 • 22 mins
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This episode was hosted by Sterling Brown
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sterling (00:00):
Hello wonderful people , this is Sterling Brown, your
host to Struggle to Successpodcast, and I want to say that
this episode that you're aboutto hear is different.
It was recorded with RhodesGoTo mics and it was recorded
live in transition.
So that transition was it wasrecorded in the midst of doing
(00:21):
something else.
I know everyone is going toenjoy it.
In this episode I had theopportunity to speak with Sarah
Wright, who is a doctor ofphysical therapy who helped me
recover after breaking myforearm and tearing my shoulder,
an injury that almost endedeverything.
So, yeah, you might hear a fewaudio hiccups, a couple of rough
(00:43):
pitches, but don't let thatfool you.
This conversation is packedwith gold.
You're going to hear howphysical therapy isn't just
about healing the body.
It's about advocating foryourself when the system fails
you, about having a team thatactually pays attention and how
the right person in your cornercan literally save your life and
(01:05):
your future.
If you've ever been injured,overlooked or told you're fine
when you know something else isstill off, this episode is for
you.
Sarah Wright (01:16):
If you have ever been told by someone that you're
not capable of attainingsuccess, if you have made
mistakes or lived in anunderprivileged neighborhood,
then this podcast is for you.
You are now locked in toStruggle to Success.
Struggle to Success aims toinspire individuals to navigate
life's challenges with courage,fortitude and unwavering
(01:36):
determination.
So if you're in your carjogging or somewhere else trying
to find the calm in the storm,then join Struggle to Success
airing every other Saturday.
Remember life is trial.
Stay focused.
Sterling (01:52):
So we started off with a radius break the right
forearm and rehabilitation,continuous follow-up, follow-up.
And then you did something thatwas far and beyond.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
You noticed something that was off about my posture
well, definitely from the firstday that you were here you came
to me and was supposed to bework conditioning, so it was
supposed to be like higher level, really physically strenuous
activity, and first visit I waslike this is not appropriate for
him.
He hasn't even healed thisradius fracture yet.
So we were already starting tosee that there were deficits.
(02:31):
And then, as we were exploring,okay, why are these deficits?
I say distally, so like lowerinto the arm, why are they still
there?
We start looking into yourshoulder and I'm like, oh, this
is way weaker than just thedeconditioning over the year of
being out of work.
So there was already someconcerns at that point.
And so that's like we startedoff talking to your doctor,
(02:52):
getting the regular physicaltherapy code for the lower part
of your arm to start with, andthen, as we started
rehabilitating that, theexercises that you should have
been able to do to strengthenand stabilize I say proximally,
so closer to your shoulder youweren't able to do those
exercises.
So then that's when red flagsstarted going off for us that we
(03:12):
said, okay, we need to lookinto why are we plateauing here.
And that's how we got to thepoint of let's get an MRI for
the shoulder, figuring out thatit's been torn this whole.
The rotator cuff has been tornthis whole time.
Sterling (03:25):
That was shocking.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Yeah, yeah, and definitely interesting that it
hadn't been looked into with thetraumatic type of injury that
you had, that it hadn't beenlooked into first.
But definitely they alwaysstart with the more severe, more
obvious injury, which was yourlower arm at the time.
So I'm not even sure how soonthat they would have looked at
(03:47):
your shoulder because of theseverity of the lower arm.
Sterling (03:51):
If you guys and gals hadn't brought it to the table,
it would have been missed.
If we don't have a goodphysical therapist team put in
place, this is what happens, youknow.
And then now here's thisindividual who believes they're
100.
Those of us are that are lawenforcement or we missed.
We miss it.
And then here we are again,like what happened and you're
(04:15):
putting in the hard work.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
like really from day one you were like on board with
what our plan was going to befor you and like never
questioning why we were doinganything, putting in your best
effort, kind of knowing when tolimit yourself, when you're
supposed to limit yourself, whenwe're trying to say back off on
some of the pain.
So I always say, it's the hardwork that you're putting in.
We're kind of just facilitating, we're helping you navigate
that, but you're doing the hardwork.
Sterling (04:38):
What led you to pursue a career in physical therapy?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So I was injured myself as a teenager, just more
like simple injuries that I wasin and out of physical therapy.
There was one like up thestreet from my parents' house
and it like that type ofenvironment.
I was like, oh, I never sawmyself working at a desk, and so
once I was in that type ofenvironment, I could see myself
being able to like physicallycare for people in a different
way than doctors do.
So I get to establishrelationships with people.
I get to see them three times aweek, um, and I like building
(05:09):
those relationships with people.
So, like you said, the fact thatwe've been together now close
to a year since you started PT,that is what I wanted out of a
job and I wanted to build thoserelationships and I wanted to be
something that a communityresource too.
So I looked specifically for atype of physical therapy company
that could let me practice theway that I want to practice,
(05:32):
which is being able to get oneon one care when I need to be
pretty autonomous and everythingthat I do.
So when I see needs like that,I can have those conversations
with the doctors, change up myschedule to address your needs
too.
So, like today how I'm likeokay, I want to have a
one-on-one session so we cantalk about all of this, that I
(05:52):
get to do that.
So, even specifically, thecompany that I work with was
really important to be thephysical therapist that I wanted
to be.
Sterling (06:01):
Was that a long process before you started to
practice here?
Speaker 3 (06:07):
So I were kind of introduced to companies.
When I'm in grad school we'relike learning about different
companies.
I had worked for anothercompany as a tech where I was
kind of just helping out thephysical therapists.
So some companies do see muchmore patients than we do in each
hour but then they're not ableto have some of that manual time
that I really feel like.
As a clinician, I know thebenefit of my hands-on
(06:30):
treatments and I wanted to be inan environment where I do that.
So that was definitelysomething that I was looking for
when I was interviewing withdifferent companies.
I was also looking formentorship.
So as a new grad, I didn't wantto just start doing things on
my own.
I wanted that mentorship aspect.
So things that I looked for in.
So things that I looked for inyeah, things that I looked for
(06:51):
definitely in companies as I wasinterviewing for them.
But as soon as I interviewedhere I knew that this is where I
belonged.
So I'm from Delaware County,closer to Philly, and I went to
undergrad and grad school atWidener.
They had a program that as asenior in high school I was
accepted to the program and aslong as I kept up my undergrad
grades I could go right in so Ididn't have to take juries or
(07:11):
reapply to grad school.
So I liked that aspect and Icould get it done in six years.
I'm also from that area and theChester community is close to
home for me and I love the senseof community that Widener
brings to Chester.
So Widener was really focusedon, like Chester is giving us
(07:34):
this space and we need to giveback to them for letting us have
this part of their community.
So we had pro bono clinic thatstarting as soon as you started
grad school, you were working asa physical therapist student in
a pro bono clinic where I wasgetting to treat the patients.
Sterling (07:47):
How fast are you able to tailor a person's?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
program.
So a lot of it happens at evaland we call that like the
subjective is the conversationthat we have before I start
doing any type of measurements.
So I usually do a little bitmore detailed.
Subjective because I feel likeit's so important to tailor
sessions to the person and whattheir responsibilities are.
So the fact that you came to meand you hadn't been doing
(08:13):
anything like how you would gripa gun, like you hadn't been
training your grip in thatposition, that was already I
don't want to say red flag, buta red flag to me that like, okay
, you're about to supposedly bereturned to work and you haven't
practiced holding a gun,shooting a gun at that point,
like that was concerning, oreven just we talked about that
first visit, the um, the wordthat you use when you're like
(08:39):
controlling a situation.
I forget how you use it.
Maintaining positive control yes, maintaining positive control,
like those types of physicalduties that other people don't
need to do that, but that is arequirement for you to be able
to return to work.
You need to be able to do thatpain-free and with the level of
strength that can keep you andthe other people safe in the
(09:00):
situation.
So that was something that Ineeded to get out of that first
visit.
So as we progressed yourprogram, I knew that that was
the functional progressions Iwas going to make for you.
Sterling (09:10):
How do you proceed with different people from walks
of life?
Like you know, I'm in lawenforcement.
The issues that I would havewhere someone would not be in
law enforcement, and thenervousness, the aggravation how
do you?
Speaker 3 (09:24):
handle that.
So my undergrad degree was inpsychology and that was really
important for me because Iwanted to understand how the
brain worked, how people work,how they interact with each
other, and a lot of people toldme psychology has nothing to do
with physical therapy.
Why are you doing this as anundergrad degree?
And I was like I work withpeople every day, like that is,
(09:45):
I'm using my undergrad degreemore in a casual conversation
way every single day.
So I think because of all thateducation, I kind of can read
people a little bit more and soeven like sometimes I see a
patient across the room and I'mnot working with them but like
oh, just get a vibe from themthat I feel like I need to go
over or to like pull theirtherapist aside and just like
(10:05):
make sure that that's beinglooked at.
So I definitely get it from myundergrad degree.
I think that backgroundpeople's experience in physical
therapy is just as important asthe exercises and the hands-on
stuff that I'm giving them.
So I really do my best to makeit a positive environment for
everyone, because no one wantsto be in physical therapy and so
anything that I can do to makesure that maybe this is a happy
experience, you know, one hourthree times a week that they get
(10:29):
to hang out here with peoplethat they're familiar with.
Like that's my goal of peoplephysical therapy and I do feel
like that maximizes the benefitof all the exercises and the
treatments that we do too.
What are some of your hobbiesoutside of here that creates
enjoyment?
My family is really importantto me, so spending as much time
doing whatever with them, likewhatever I can with them, so we
(10:51):
go on hikes, we go on walks, um,I think since you've been here,
I've taken my grandma on a fewdifferent vacations, so I like
taking her across the country tosee things.
Um, you know I like to read.
I do read PT research, but alsoregular books too, and I'm a
big Philly sport fan.
Sterling (11:07):
So any games that I can get to.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Yeah.
Sterling (11:13):
From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges
patients or therapists facewhen dealing with insurance
companies, and doctors whendealing with the best course of
treatment?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
So with insurance companies there's just like hard
rules that we have to followand oftentimes it's a limit set
by them that, no matter whathappens to you, no matter who
you are, this is the number thatyou get.
This is the number of PT visitsthat you get and there's
nothing that I can do to getmore visits for you.
That's just the plan thatyou're on and so working with
(11:44):
different patients on how toeither okay, we have 30 visits
this year, how do we maximizethose visits?
Or working towards what is ournext steps once we use those 30
visits.
Do we do a wellness programwhere you're exercising in the
gym in a familiar setting thatyou can at least continue on the
PT plan that we had?
Do we do self-pay visits andthen looking at options of, okay
(12:06):
, 60-minute self-pay visits,30-minute self-pay visits?
So the limitations thatinsurance companies put on us is
definitely the hardest thingand it's ultimately the plan
that people sign up for andthere's a lot of advocating on
our part for getting visitsauthorized.
So, even though I see thepatient three times a week and I
say they're benefiting fromskilled care, they need this
(12:28):
continued, ultimately theinsurance can say no, we think
they're done here Like we'regoing to discharge them.
So that is a huge thing thatanytime that I can advocate for
more PT for someone, I will.
And as far as doctors,sometimes again I feel like
getting them to believe like howmuch we do know is a struggle.
(12:51):
Sometimes I'm seeing thispatient three times a week.
I know a little bit more thanyou might pick up in your
shorter sessions with them, andthat's just the sessions that
they need.
It's not saying that a doctordoesn't care, it's just that
they're only allowed 10 minuteswith you once every few months
and I see you three times a weekfor an hour session.
So again, just advocating forthe patients and trying to get
(13:15):
the doctors to buy into whatwe're saying sometimes is a
struggle.
But a lot of doctors in thisarea are very receptive and they
respect physical therapy, whichis nice to see the progression
of that.
And I do have a doctoratedegree and that was progressed
Like our perm was.
Do have a doctorate degree andthat was progressed like our
perm was progressed to adoctorate degree, because
sometimes with some insurances Isee someone before a doctor
(13:35):
would.
Sterling (13:36):
So it's a doctorate of physical therapy.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
okay, yeah, so it is a clinical doctorate.
It's not like a PhD, okay, andthe push for that was because I
can see people without themseeing a doctor first, and so I
need to be able to assesssomeone and see, like, are there
red flags that maybe a doctorwould see at a family visit and
know OK, you're not appropriatefor this at this time?
I need to be able to do thattoo.
(14:01):
That's phenomenal.
Sterling (14:02):
Yeah, and going back to what you said earlier, you
know the advocacy that you do onour part goes that extra mile
which technically you don't haveto do.
You can say we're 30 and done,we're 20 and done, but again, a
lot of individuals who need yourassistance need your care.
They don't get that and it'ssad.
(14:25):
But it also pushes us to sayyou know what we can do better
and you are doing extraordinarywork here.
Thank you.
I'm going to say it a milliontimes If you could change one
thing about the health caresystem to make your job or in
your patients' experiencesbetter, what would it be?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
So definitely the access to physical therapy when
I see someone.
In an ideal world, when I seesomeone and I feel like they
need three times a week, I don'twant insurance limits or the
copays to be a limiter factor,but ultimately it is, and I
understand how the healthcaresystem works and it's a, it's a
plan that people sign up for,why it has to happen.
(15:08):
But at the same time, if Icould change in my ideal world,
if I see the clinical need forsomeone to be in physical
therapy three times a week, thatthey would be able to do that.
You know what I mean.
So I would say that's thebiggest thing that access to
care.
Do you believe that?
Sterling (15:24):
and this is the final, question do you believe that
insurance companies are theyhave too much control or they're
gaining too much control overthe years that you've been in
this type of practice, or?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
how do you see it?
So I, that's a good question.
The issue is that people withsay, like private insurance,
they buy into it.
So like their argument could beif you bought a premium plan,
maybe you would have more visits, so if you spend more on the
front end, maybe you would havebetter access to things.
(15:58):
So like, sometimes that is anargument um, I would say like
the stealth, I'm sorry, thestate health care insurance um
is one of the most um likelimiting insurances in that they
give us some visits and theneven if I'm saying this patient
is doing great, they're reallyprogressing, but we still have
(16:20):
all this way to go that they'reoftentimes saying oh no, we're
not going to authorize any morevisits when technically they're
not signing up for a plan that'slimiting it's state insurance.
So I wish that I could justifyand advocate for the patient and
then them agree to it andcontinue.
So it's hard because they'rethe ones paying.
(16:42):
So I don't know if I can saythat they have been more
stringent recently because that,right, they're the ones paying
the bill.
So I appreciate that PT iswithin medical coverage whereas,
say, like massage chiropractor,sometimes that's not covered at
all by insurance.
So I appreciate that insurancesrecognize the importance of
(17:02):
physical therapy, but I do wishthat they would kind of let us
be the guide in the way thatdoctors okay, if the doctor says
that this is medicallynecessary, I wish it was the
same.
Okay, a physical therapist issaying this is medically
necessary, let's continue doingit.
So I wish that I had a littlebit more pull there.
But I do appreciate my companytakes almost any insurance and
(17:29):
so a lot of people come to usbecause their insurance isn't
accepted anywhere.
So, making those connectionslike company to insurance wise,
I appreciate that I can see alot of people who are
underserved.
So I would say and with alldoctors too, I say this is to go
on their website and see, like,does this person seem to speak
(17:52):
to me?
Does it feel like we're on thesame page?
Is there like a common goal inmind?
Now, for most people, I don'tknow if they would necessarily
know that this type of companyallows for one-on-one treatments
, whereas this type of companyyou're going to be seeing you
with three other patients thathour and you might not get like
one-on-one attention or thattype of stuff.
(18:14):
So I actually don't know ifthere is a way for any person to
know that about our scheduling.
But I definitely think lookingon the website and seeing like
does this profile speak to me?
Is really important, because Iam not saying I am the best
physical therapist and I'm notsaying that I'm the best
physical therapist and I'm notsaying that I'm the best
physical therapist for anyonespecifically, but I want I would
(18:37):
want someone to like read mybio and feel like, okay, I can
connect with her, like I feellike she would listen to me.
You know what I mean, and sothat's what I try to get across
with the, and so that's what I Iwould advise people to do is
just like look on the websiteand see if there's anything even
stopping in.
So if you came to the frontwith a script and you can kind
of get a vibe from the frontoffice, you know what I mean.
Sterling (18:59):
And I kind of feel the same way that you know, as a
person on this side receiving atherapy and receiving
rehabilitation.
The advocacy.
For myself is also important,so I would 100% think that you
would agree that we shouldadvocate for ourselves and,
honestly, if it's not workingout, if it's not good, mesh, go
(19:22):
back, know that there are, yeah,options, exactly, and I always
say some doctors will write youa script that says for a
specific PT location.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
But I always tell patients you're allowed to use
that physical therapy referralanywhere that you want or that
accepts your insurance.
That's good information.
So never think that justbecause they said one place,
that you have to go to thatplace, because sometimes there
are affiliations that you mightnot know about.
So I always want people to feellike they have autonomy in
their own care.
So I always want people to feellike they have autonomy in
their own care and so like okay,that's a physical therapy
(19:53):
referral that you can usewherever you want to or wherever
your insurance is accepted.
So that's why I want people tonot potentially just go to the
closest place to them, but tofind a place like look into it
and find a place that meetstheir needs.
Sterling (20:06):
Sarah, thank you so much for giving us your valuable
time.
Personally, you're doingextraordinary work.
Keep up the good work.
You have a great team here andthank you for giving us your
insight.
Of course, thank you.
So, if you've made it this far,I want to say thank you, and I
(20:28):
appreciate you for real, becausethis wasn't just an interview.
It was a mirror, a reminderthat healing isn't always
visible and advocacy ain'talways loud.
What Sarah Wright did for meshe didn't just treat pain, she
prevented a setback that couldhave changed my life.
How many of us have walkedaround thinking we were healed
(20:49):
physically, mentally,emotionally when, truthfully,
we're still broken underneath?
This episode was a reminderthat the right person at the
right moment can make all thedifference.
But it's also a call Advocatefor yourself and please, please,
please, ask questions, push forclarity and don't settle.
(21:14):
Your healing matters, yourprogress matters, and sometimes
the system won't fight for you,but you can, until the next
episode.
Remember the journey fromstruggle to success starts with
showing up for yourself, startswith showing up for yourself and
always.
If this episode helped you,please share it and send it to
(21:35):
someone who's recoveringphysically, emotionally and
spiritually.
Novacare Rehabilitation has afive-star rating.
They're located at 270 GraniteRun Drive, lancaster, pa 17601.
You can reach them by phone at717-569-4093 or on the web at
(21:57):
wwwnovacarecom.
Their hours are Monday throughFriday, starting at 7 am.
If you have questions aboutphysical therapy, recovery or
just want to learn more aboutservices they offer, don't
hesitate to give Sarah and herteam a call.
Whether you're recovering fromsurgery or just want to
(22:18):
understand your options, they'rethere to help.
And until next time rememberlife is trials Stay focused.
Sarah Wright (22:27):
Thanks for checking out this episode of
Struggle to Success.
To connect with the show, youcan email us at
struggletosuccessp at gmailcom.
Make sure you like andsubscribe so that you never miss
an episode.
And remember life is trials,Stay focused.
Hello wonderful people , this is Sterling Brown, your
host to Struggle to Successpodcast, and I want to say that
this episode that you're aboutto hear is different.
It was recorded with RhodesGoTo mics and it was recorded
live in transition.
So that transition was it wasrecorded in the midst of doing
(00:21):
something else.
I know everyone is going toenjoy it.
In this episode I had theopportunity to speak with Sarah
Wright, who is a doctor ofphysical therapy who helped me
recover after breaking myforearm and tearing my shoulder,
an injury that almost endedeverything.
So, yeah, you might hear a fewaudio hiccups, a couple of rough
(00:43):
pitches, but don't let thatfool you.
This conversation is packedwith gold.
You're going to hear howphysical therapy isn't just
about healing the body.
It's about advocating foryourself when the system fails
you, about having a team thatactually pays attention and how
the right person in your cornercan literally save your life and
(01:05):
your future.
If you've ever been injured,overlooked or told you're fine
when you know something else isstill off, this episode is for
you.
Sarah Wright (01:16):
If you have ever been told by someone that you're
not capable of attainingsuccess, if you have made
mistakes or lived in anunderprivileged neighborhood,
then this podcast is for you.
You are now locked in toStruggle to Success.
Struggle to Success aims toinspire individuals to navigate
life's challenges with courage,fortitude and unwavering
(01:36):
determination.
So if you're in your carjogging or somewhere else trying
to find the calm in the storm,then join Struggle to Success
airing every other Saturday.
Remember life is trial.
Stay focused.
Sterling (01:52):
So we started off with a radius break the right
forearm and rehabilitation,continuous follow-up, follow-up.
And then you did something thatwas far and beyond.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
You noticed something that was off about my posture
well, definitely from the firstday that you were here you came
to me and was supposed to bework conditioning, so it was
supposed to be like higher level, really physically strenuous
activity, and first visit I waslike this is not appropriate for
him.
He hasn't even healed thisradius fracture yet.
So we were already starting tosee that there were deficits.
(02:31):
And then, as we were exploring,okay, why are these deficits?
I say distally, so like lowerinto the arm, why are they still
there?
We start looking into yourshoulder and I'm like, oh, this
is way weaker than just thedeconditioning over the year of
being out of work.
So there was already someconcerns at that point.
And so that's like we startedoff talking to your doctor,
(02:52):
getting the regular physicaltherapy code for the lower part
of your arm to start with, andthen, as we started
rehabilitating that, theexercises that you should have
been able to do to strengthenand stabilize I say proximally,
so closer to your shoulder youweren't able to do those
exercises.
So then that's when red flagsstarted going off for us that we
(03:12):
said, okay, we need to lookinto why are we plateauing here.
And that's how we got to thepoint of let's get an MRI for
the shoulder, figuring out thatit's been torn this whole.
The rotator cuff has been tornthis whole time.
Sterling (03:25):
That was shocking.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Yeah, yeah, and definitely interesting that it
hadn't been looked into with thetraumatic type of injury that
you had, that it hadn't beenlooked into first.
But definitely they alwaysstart with the more severe, more
obvious injury, which was yourlower arm at the time.
So I'm not even sure how soonthat they would have looked at
(03:47):
your shoulder because of theseverity of the lower arm.
Sterling (03:51):
If you guys and gals hadn't brought it to the table,
it would have been missed.
If we don't have a goodphysical therapist team put in
place, this is what happens, youknow.
And then now here's thisindividual who believes they're
100.
Those of us are that are lawenforcement or we missed.
We miss it.
And then here we are again,like what happened and you're
(04:15):
putting in the hard work.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
like really from day one you were like on board with
what our plan was going to befor you and like never
questioning why we were doinganything, putting in your best
effort, kind of knowing when tolimit yourself, when you're
supposed to limit yourself, whenwe're trying to say back off on
some of the pain.
So I always say, it's the hardwork that you're putting in.
We're kind of just facilitating, we're helping you navigate
that, but you're doing the hardwork.
Sterling (04:38):
What led you to pursue a career in physical therapy?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So I was injured myself as a teenager, just more
like simple injuries that I wasin and out of physical therapy.
There was one like up thestreet from my parents' house
and it like that type ofenvironment.
I was like, oh, I never sawmyself working at a desk, and so
once I was in that type ofenvironment, I could see myself
being able to like physicallycare for people in a different
way than doctors do.
So I get to establishrelationships with people.
I get to see them three times aweek, um, and I like building
(05:09):
those relationships with people.
So, like you said, the fact thatwe've been together now close
to a year since you started PT,that is what I wanted out of a
job and I wanted to build thoserelationships and I wanted to be
something that a communityresource too.
So I looked specifically for atype of physical therapy company
that could let me practice theway that I want to practice,
(05:32):
which is being able to get oneon one care when I need to be
pretty autonomous and everythingthat I do.
So when I see needs like that,I can have those conversations
with the doctors, change up myschedule to address your needs
too.
So, like today how I'm likeokay, I want to have a
one-on-one session so we cantalk about all of this, that I
(05:52):
get to do that.
So, even specifically, thecompany that I work with was
really important to be thephysical therapist that I wanted
to be.
Sterling (06:01):
Was that a long process before you started to
practice here?
Speaker 3 (06:07):
So I were kind of introduced to companies.
When I'm in grad school we'relike learning about different
companies.
I had worked for anothercompany as a tech where I was
kind of just helping out thephysical therapists.
So some companies do see muchmore patients than we do in each
hour but then they're not ableto have some of that manual time
that I really feel like.
As a clinician, I know thebenefit of my hands-on
(06:30):
treatments and I wanted to be inan environment where I do that.
So that was definitelysomething that I was looking for
when I was interviewing withdifferent companies.
I was also looking formentorship.
So as a new grad, I didn't wantto just start doing things on
my own.
I wanted that mentorship aspect.
So things that I looked for in.
So things that I looked for inyeah, things that I looked for
(06:51):
definitely in companies as I wasinterviewing for them.
But as soon as I interviewedhere I knew that this is where I
belonged.
So I'm from Delaware County,closer to Philly, and I went to
undergrad and grad school atWidener.
They had a program that as asenior in high school I was
accepted to the program and aslong as I kept up my undergrad
grades I could go right in so Ididn't have to take juries or
(07:11):
reapply to grad school.
So I liked that aspect and Icould get it done in six years.
I'm also from that area and theChester community is close to
home for me and I love the senseof community that Widener
brings to Chester.
So Widener was really focusedon, like Chester is giving us
(07:34):
this space and we need to giveback to them for letting us have
this part of their community.
So we had pro bono clinic thatstarting as soon as you started
grad school, you were working asa physical therapist student in
a pro bono clinic where I wasgetting to treat the patients.
Sterling (07:47):
How fast are you able to tailor a person's?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
program.
So a lot of it happens at evaland we call that like the
subjective is the conversationthat we have before I start
doing any type of measurements.
So I usually do a little bitmore detailed.
Subjective because I feel likeit's so important to tailor
sessions to the person and whattheir responsibilities are.
So the fact that you came to meand you hadn't been doing
(08:13):
anything like how you would gripa gun, like you hadn't been
training your grip in thatposition, that was already I
don't want to say red flag, buta red flag to me that like, okay
, you're about to supposedly bereturned to work and you haven't
practiced holding a gun,shooting a gun at that point,
like that was concerning, oreven just we talked about that
first visit, the um, the wordthat you use when you're like
(08:39):
controlling a situation.
I forget how you use it.
Maintaining positive control yes, maintaining positive control,
like those types of physicalduties that other people don't
need to do that, but that is arequirement for you to be able
to return to work.
You need to be able to do thatpain-free and with the level of
strength that can keep you andthe other people safe in the
(09:00):
situation.
So that was something that Ineeded to get out of that first
visit.
So as we progressed yourprogram, I knew that that was
the functional progressions Iwas going to make for you.
Sterling (09:10):
How do you proceed with different people from walks
of life?
Like you know, I'm in lawenforcement.
The issues that I would havewhere someone would not be in
law enforcement, and thenervousness, the aggravation how
do you?
Speaker 3 (09:24):
handle that.
So my undergrad degree was inpsychology and that was really
important for me because Iwanted to understand how the
brain worked, how people work,how they interact with each
other, and a lot of people toldme psychology has nothing to do
with physical therapy.
Why are you doing this as anundergrad degree?
And I was like I work withpeople every day, like that is,
(09:45):
I'm using my undergrad degreemore in a casual conversation
way every single day.
So I think because of all thateducation, I kind of can read
people a little bit more and soeven like sometimes I see a
patient across the room and I'mnot working with them but like
oh, just get a vibe from themthat I feel like I need to go
over or to like pull theirtherapist aside and just like
(10:05):
make sure that that's beinglooked at.
So I definitely get it from myundergrad degree.
I think that backgroundpeople's experience in physical
therapy is just as important asthe exercises and the hands-on
stuff that I'm giving them.
So I really do my best to makeit a positive environment for
everyone, because no one wantsto be in physical therapy and so
anything that I can do to makesure that maybe this is a happy
experience, you know, one hourthree times a week that they get
(10:29):
to hang out here with peoplethat they're familiar with.
Like that's my goal of peoplephysical therapy and I do feel
like that maximizes the benefitof all the exercises and the
treatments that we do too.
What are some of your hobbiesoutside of here that creates
enjoyment?
My family is really importantto me, so spending as much time
doing whatever with them, likewhatever I can with them, so we
(10:51):
go on hikes, we go on walks, um,I think since you've been here,
I've taken my grandma on a fewdifferent vacations, so I like
taking her across the country tosee things.
Um, you know I like to read.
I do read PT research, but alsoregular books too, and I'm a
big Philly sport fan.
Sterling (11:07):
So any games that I can get to.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Yeah.
Sterling (11:13):
From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges
patients or therapists facewhen dealing with insurance
companies, and doctors whendealing with the best course of
treatment?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
So with insurance companies there's just like hard
rules that we have to followand oftentimes it's a limit set
by them that, no matter whathappens to you, no matter who
you are, this is the number thatyou get.
This is the number of PT visitsthat you get and there's
nothing that I can do to getmore visits for you.
That's just the plan thatyou're on and so working with
(11:44):
different patients on how toeither okay, we have 30 visits
this year, how do we maximizethose visits?
Or working towards what is ournext steps once we use those 30
visits.
Do we do a wellness programwhere you're exercising in the
gym in a familiar setting thatyou can at least continue on the
PT plan that we had?
Do we do self-pay visits andthen looking at options of, okay
(12:06):
, 60-minute self-pay visits,30-minute self-pay visits?
So the limitations thatinsurance companies put on us is
definitely the hardest thingand it's ultimately the plan
that people sign up for andthere's a lot of advocating on
our part for getting visitsauthorized.
So, even though I see thepatient three times a week and I
say they're benefiting fromskilled care, they need this
(12:28):
continued, ultimately theinsurance can say no, we think
they're done here Like we'regoing to discharge them.
So that is a huge thing thatanytime that I can advocate for
more PT for someone, I will.
And as far as doctors,sometimes again I feel like
getting them to believe like howmuch we do know is a struggle.
(12:51):
Sometimes I'm seeing thispatient three times a week.
I know a little bit more thanyou might pick up in your
shorter sessions with them, andthat's just the sessions that
they need.
It's not saying that a doctordoesn't care, it's just that
they're only allowed 10 minuteswith you once every few months
and I see you three times a weekfor an hour session.
So again, just advocating forthe patients and trying to get
(13:15):
the doctors to buy into whatwe're saying sometimes is a
struggle.
But a lot of doctors in thisarea are very receptive and they
respect physical therapy, whichis nice to see the progression
of that.
And I do have a doctoratedegree and that was progressed
Like our perm was.
Do have a doctorate degree andthat was progressed like our
perm was progressed to adoctorate degree, because
sometimes with some insurances Isee someone before a doctor
(13:35):
would.
Sterling (13:36):
So it's a doctorate of physical therapy.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
okay, yeah, so it is a clinical doctorate.
It's not like a PhD, okay, andthe push for that was because I
can see people without themseeing a doctor first, and so I
need to be able to assesssomeone and see, like, are there
red flags that maybe a doctorwould see at a family visit and
know OK, you're not appropriatefor this at this time?
I need to be able to do thattoo.
(14:01):
That's phenomenal.
Sterling (14:02):
Yeah, and going back to what you said earlier, you
know the advocacy that you do onour part goes that extra mile
which technically you don't haveto do.
You can say we're 30 and done,we're 20 and done, but again, a
lot of individuals who need yourassistance need your care.
They don't get that and it'ssad.
(14:25):
But it also pushes us to sayyou know what we can do better
and you are doing extraordinarywork here.
Thank you.
I'm going to say it a milliontimes If you could change one
thing about the health caresystem to make your job or in
your patients' experiencesbetter, what would it be?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
So definitely the access to physical therapy when
I see someone.
In an ideal world, when I seesomeone and I feel like they
need three times a week, I don'twant insurance limits or the
copays to be a limiter factor,but ultimately it is, and I
understand how the healthcaresystem works and it's a, it's a
plan that people sign up for,why it has to happen.
(15:08):
But at the same time, if Icould change in my ideal world,
if I see the clinical need forsomeone to be in physical
therapy three times a week, thatthey would be able to do that.
You know what I mean.
So I would say that's thebiggest thing that access to
care.
Do you believe that?
Sterling (15:24):
and this is the final, question do you believe that
insurance companies are theyhave too much control or they're
gaining too much control overthe years that you've been in
this type of practice, or?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
how do you see it?
So I, that's a good question.
The issue is that people withsay, like private insurance,
they buy into it.
So like their argument could beif you bought a premium plan,
maybe you would have more visits, so if you spend more on the
front end, maybe you would havebetter access to things.
(15:58):
So like, sometimes that is anargument um, I would say like
the stealth, I'm sorry, thestate health care insurance um
is one of the most um likelimiting insurances in that they
give us some visits and theneven if I'm saying this patient
is doing great, they're reallyprogressing, but we still have
(16:20):
all this way to go that they'reoftentimes saying oh no, we're
not going to authorize any morevisits when technically they're
not signing up for a plan that'slimiting it's state insurance.
So I wish that I could justifyand advocate for the patient and
then them agree to it andcontinue.
So it's hard because they'rethe ones paying.
(16:42):
So I don't know if I can saythat they have been more
stringent recently because that,right, they're the ones paying
the bill.
So I appreciate that PT iswithin medical coverage whereas,
say, like massage chiropractor,sometimes that's not covered at
all by insurance.
So I appreciate that insurancesrecognize the importance of
(17:02):
physical therapy, but I do wishthat they would kind of let us
be the guide in the way thatdoctors okay, if the doctor says
that this is medicallynecessary, I wish it was the
same.
Okay, a physical therapist issaying this is medically
necessary, let's continue doingit.
So I wish that I had a littlebit more pull there.
But I do appreciate my companytakes almost any insurance and
(17:29):
so a lot of people come to usbecause their insurance isn't
accepted anywhere.
So, making those connectionslike company to insurance wise,
I appreciate that I can see alot of people who are
underserved.
So I would say and with alldoctors too, I say this is to go
on their website and see, like,does this person seem to speak
(17:52):
to me?
Does it feel like we're on thesame page?
Is there like a common goal inmind?
Now, for most people, I don'tknow if they would necessarily
know that this type of companyallows for one-on-one treatments
, whereas this type of companyyou're going to be seeing you
with three other patients thathour and you might not get like
one-on-one attention or thattype of stuff.
(18:14):
So I actually don't know ifthere is a way for any person to
know that about our scheduling.
But I definitely think lookingon the website and seeing like
does this profile speak to me?
Is really important, because Iam not saying I am the best
physical therapist and I'm notsaying that I'm the best
physical therapist and I'm notsaying that I'm the best
physical therapist for anyonespecifically, but I want I would
(18:37):
want someone to like read mybio and feel like, okay, I can
connect with her, like I feellike she would listen to me.
You know what I mean, and sothat's what I try to get across
with the, and so that's what I Iwould advise people to do is
just like look on the websiteand see if there's anything even
stopping in.
So if you came to the frontwith a script and you can kind
of get a vibe from the frontoffice, you know what I mean.
Sterling (18:59):
And I kind of feel the same way that you know, as a
person on this side receiving atherapy and receiving
rehabilitation.
The advocacy.
For myself is also important,so I would 100% think that you
would agree that we shouldadvocate for ourselves and,
honestly, if it's not workingout, if it's not good, mesh, go
(19:22):
back, know that there are, yeah,options, exactly, and I always
say some doctors will write youa script that says for a
specific PT location.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
But I always tell patients you're allowed to use
that physical therapy referralanywhere that you want or that
accepts your insurance.
That's good information.
So never think that justbecause they said one place,
that you have to go to thatplace, because sometimes there
are affiliations that you mightnot know about.
So I always want people to feellike they have autonomy in
their own care.
So I always want people to feellike they have autonomy in
their own care and so like okay,that's a physical therapy
(19:53):
referral that you can usewherever you want to or wherever
your insurance is accepted.
So that's why I want people tonot potentially just go to the
closest place to them, but tofind a place like look into it
and find a place that meetstheir needs.
Sterling (20:06):
Sarah, thank you so much for giving us your valuable
time.
Personally, you're doingextraordinary work.
Keep up the good work.
You have a great team here andthank you for giving us your
insight.
Of course, thank you.
So, if you've made it this far,I want to say thank you, and I
(20:28):
appreciate you for real, becausethis wasn't just an interview.
It was a mirror, a reminderthat healing isn't always
visible and advocacy ain'talways loud.
What Sarah Wright did for meshe didn't just treat pain, she
prevented a setback that couldhave changed my life.
How many of us have walkedaround thinking we were healed
(20:49):
physically, mentally,emotionally when, truthfully,
we're still broken underneath?
This episode was a reminderthat the right person at the
right moment can make all thedifference.
But it's also a call Advocatefor yourself and please, please,
please, ask questions, push forclarity and don't settle.
(21:14):
Your healing matters, yourprogress matters, and sometimes
the system won't fight for you,but you can, until the next
episode.
Remember the journey fromstruggle to success starts with
showing up for yourself, startswith showing up for yourself and
always.
If this episode helped you,please share it and send it to
(21:35):
someone who's recoveringphysically, emotionally and
spiritually.
Novacare Rehabilitation has afive-star rating.
They're located at 270 GraniteRun Drive, lancaster, pa 17601.
You can reach them by phone at717-569-4093 or on the web at
(21:57):
wwwnovacarecom.
Their hours are Monday throughFriday, starting at 7 am.
If you have questions aboutphysical therapy, recovery or
just want to learn more aboutservices they offer, don't
hesitate to give Sarah and herteam a call.
Whether you're recovering fromsurgery or just want to
(22:18):
understand your options, they'rethere to help.
And until next time rememberlife is trials Stay focused.
Sarah Wright (22:27):
Thanks for checking out this episode of
Struggle to Success.
To connect with the show, youcan email us at
struggletosuccessp at gmailcom.
Make sure you like andsubscribe so that you never miss
an episode.
And remember life is trials,Stay focused.
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