Within the last few years we have been asked to make many more choices (long distance carrier, gas and electric supplier, Internet service provider) than in the past. Healthcare has also been full of choices (HMO or PPO, PCP, surgery or no surgery).

Webster defines choice as the chance, right or power to choose, usually by the free exercise of one's judgment. The American Heritage Dictionary lists synonyms broadly implying freedom such as alternative, option, preference, selection and election. Let's see how these components of choice affect healthcare and physical therapy.

Alternative: The choice between two courses of action. Some of these are: going to the doctor/or not going for muscle pain; conservative physical therapy or surgery immediately; medical model or chiropractic. The decisions of these alternatives determine whether physical therapy can start showing results like THE pt GROUP has shown over the last 20 years.

Option: The power to choose. You can go to a licensed physical therapist of your choice after receiving a physician and insurance referral for treatment. Almost all insurance plans are in network for THE pt GROUP and patients can go out of network with some limitations.

Preference: The decision based on one's values, bias or predilections. Those valuing evaluations by the next business day, prompt and convenient times for appointments, thorough evaluations, timely reports and greater than expected results prefer THE pt GROUP.

Selection: A wide variety of things or persons to choose from. A wide variety of diagnoses from head to foot; orthopedic, vestibular and neurologic are treated at 20 sites in four counties by THE pt GROUP.

Election: The use of judgment and wisdom in making a choice with an important end in view. For more than 20 years, more than a thousand physicians and 100,000 patients have used judgment and wisdom in seeking an important end in view: pain relief, function and/or return to work as quickly and safely as possible. THE pt GROUP is committed to seeking results through clinical pathways and the commitment to continuous quality improvement.

Walter L. Henry is Director of Marketing and Development for THE pt GROUP.