The short answer is… interview them!

Yes, you can interview pelvic floor physical therapists (PFPTs) in your area and we recommend doing it before you schedule your first appointment. This will save you a lot of time (and money), and ensures that your future PFPT understands how to support your unique needs and goals from the beginning.

Not sure how to go about interviewing providers or what questions to ask? We’ve got you covered with our list below. We’ve also included what you want to look for regarding the answers you receive, as these responses will guide your decision about who you want to hire for your care. Yes, we said hire, because that’s what you’re doing!

To set up an interview, reach out to the providers in your area by phone or online. Many PFPTs offer the ability to schedule a free introductory call by filling out a contact form on their website (see ours here). Once you’ve set up a call, feel free to use these questions to help guide your discussion.

How do you like to work with your patients?

This open-ended question helps you find out more about their treatment style and how they structure sessions with their patients. This also gives you an opportunity to get a sense for their personality, and assess if you feel comfortable and compatible with their approach to care.

How long is each session and how much of that time is one-on-one with the PFPT?

Ideally, your evaluation and follow-up appointments will each be one hour in length one-on-one with the same physical therapist (not an aide) for the entirety of your sessions. This is especially important for consistency of care and thoughtful follow-up.

How far in advance are you booking new patients, and once I begin care what’s the process like for scheduling follow-up visits?

It’s common for many PFPT practices to be booking new patients a few weeks (sometimes months) ahead. At our practice, when we bring on a new patient, we proactively schedule their initial evaluation and the first month of appointments to ensure adequate follow-up from the beginning. Be sure to ask if you are able to schedule a series of appointments with the prospective clinician you are interviewing, as this will give you a good sense of what it’s like to be supported in their practice and if your schedules will align well for consistent follow-up.

I’m experiencing [insert your symptoms here] and would like to get back to [insert activity here]. How familiar are you with addressing these symptoms and helping individuals get back to [activity]? If so, what does that process look like?

This helps you determine if the PFPT has experience with your symptoms, if they have helped others reach similar goals, and helps you assess if their approach feels like a good fit.

Are you available to communicate with the other medical providers, coaches, trainers, etc…to help coordinate my care?

This helps you know if they are able and willing to work collaboratively with the other members of your health and wellness team. This type of interdisciplinary approach is really valuable for supporting you as a whole person, and asking your team to be in communication on your behalf is important to ask about, especially if you are being supported by multiple disciplines.