About Us
Who Are We?
We are a private practice physical therapy group with over 25 years of outpatient physical therapy experience in the South Central Pennsylvania area. Started in 1984 by two physical therapists in one office, First Choice has grown to include 15 conveniently-located offices in 5 counties with 22 therapists and over 70 employees. Staying true to their initial model, the First Choice Rehab offices feature one-on-one care, provided by a quality staff in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. The offices have purposefully been kept small, featuring only one or two therapists at each location. Patients are assured more personal care when seen by the same provider at each visit.
"I was very impressed with the staff's professionalism. I was pleased with the progress I made in four weeks. My therapist, Chuck, was extremely knowledgeable. I learned so much about how my body functions and the proper care to relieve my problem. "
Dolly, 12/09
"Lynn, April and Paula are FABULOUS! I have never received such fantastic care in an outpatient setting. You are not just treated like another patient, you are treated as a friend. You are very fortunate to have such wonderful people on staff."
Amber, 12/09
"No more pain, learned easy techniques to help in the future. It was like going to work with friends. The atmosphere was amazing. I won't go anywhere else if the need arises in the future."
Lisa, 12/09
"The team of Franco Madaffari, Monica Johnson and staff were very professional and did keep me focused on what various treatments I needed to correct my physical issues. Under their direction I can now perform all movements in my shoulder. Thank you First Choice."
Anthony, 12/09
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First Choice Rehab physical therapists are licensed Direct Access providers.
What is Direct Access? As of November, 2004, Pennsylvania now permits a patient to receive treatment from a physical therapist without a referral from a physician. This is called "direct access". It means that if you have a medical condition that is muscular, skeletal or neurological, and it interferes with your ability to participate in your daily routine, you can call our office to schedule treatment without first seeing your physician. First Choice Rehab physical therapists have taken the required educational components and have passed the certification process for Direct Access. Many insurance companies pay for direct access physical therapy. Some insurance carriers, including Medicare, still require your physician to provide a referral. Now, if you have a question about a musculoskeletal problem, you can go first to your physical therapist. He or she can evaluate your pain and can determine if therapy may help or if you need to be seen by a specialist or family physician.
What is First Choice's treatment philosophy?
Our treatment philosophy is directed toward returning the patient to their optimal level of functioning, whether that be returning to work, the playing field or improving activities of daily living.
Acutely, treatment may be centered around care to control pain, swelling and inflammation. Modalities, gentle manual therapy and light exercises may be used. As your condition improves, your program progresses into the "corrective" phase. In this phase, aerobic conditioning, flexibility, and resistive exercises become the focus of your rehabilitation. We rely heavily on the patient's active involvement and patients are expected to follow their personalized program for work or home.
What is First Choice's mission?
Our mission is to help people recover from illness, injury, surgery or lifestyle related disorders by treating their resulting movement dysfunctions and pain utilizing the most current rehabilitation knowledge and procedures. We will promote healthy lifestyle decisions and wellness in our patients and clients. We will help athletes achieve their potential.