Upon entering our office, Hilda, our Office Administrator, will greet you and welcome you as a member of our Chiropractic practice "family" at Advanced Healthcare. We will request that in advance you download (click here) and fill out the 'Confidential New Patient Information' form located in the "New Patient Centre" to save you some time... and to bring it with you to your visit. This paperwork provides us with valuable general information about yourself and your condition(s).
A printed 'Confidential New Patient Information' form is also available from Hilda upon your arrival for your appointment.
Consultation:
Next, you will have a private consultation with Dr. Pisarek to discuss your health-related problems and concerns, lifestyle as well as potential treatment options. This could take up to 1 - 1.5 hours. Your first visit is designed to learn more about you, your condition(s), and your expectations; and to determine whether Chiropractic care at our facility will meet your goals. If not, Dr. Pisarek will recommend a healthcare professional that is better suited to look after your presenting complaints.
Examination:
After your Chiropractic consultation and if your presenting complaints fall within the scope of Chiropractic care in Ontario, Dr. Pisarek will perform: a thorough Chiropractic, Orthopaedic and Neurological examination; testing of your posture; nerve reflexes; your ranges of motion (ability to turn and bend); flexibility and muscle strength; as well as other standard and necessary physical examinations. Nothing will be done in our facility without your 'informed' consent and permission.
X-Ray Studies:
Your specific condition may require you to have digital HD (high definition) x-rays taken to get a full spinal/joint evaluation of you. X-rays help us rule out more serious conditions and/or assist us in developing the most effective treatment plan for you. Most people are amazed once they view their x-rays that they can often immediately identify their misalignments and degeneration themselves.
Presently, OHIP will cover the technical (taking of x-rays) portion of most x-rays requisitioned by chiropractors. The technical portion consists of all aspects of the x-ray taking process... film, patient positioning, exposure determination, and processing. However, OHIP will not cover the medical radiologist or chiropractic professional reading (interpretation) component fee for those x-ray examinations for chiropractic patients in Ontario. As the chiropractic professional analytical interpretation component is not covered by OHIP, many extended healthcare plans cover the cost for this reading.
The analytical reading fee pertains to all x-rays viewed by a chiropractor, including those already prescribed by your physician and interpreted by a medical radiologist. For further details, please call our office.
Report of Findings (Results):
Once all the information and examinations have been performed, Dr. Pisarek will arrange for your 'report of findings' visit as soon as mutually possible after the first visit. At that time, Dr. Pisarek will review your consultation, your health goals, testing, available x-ray(s), and other diagnostic results... to answer the four most frequently asked questions:
Can you help me? What do you recommend that I do to get better? How long is it going to take? and how much is it going to cost? If Dr. Pisarek believes that Chiropractic care can help you, he will then discuss his provisional recommended treatment plan, wellness program, and "informed consent" with you. If you have a condition that requires care from other health providers, then Dr. Pisarek will tell you and recommend a referral elsewhere. Keep in mind that he only accepts patients for care that he honestly feels will benefit from the chiropractic health services that are provided at his facility.
Treatment:
Patients will be provided with their first treatment at the conclusion of their initial appointment... if they so desire. This only occurs following a discussion with respect to 'informed consent' to treatment, treatment options, and with patient permission. Treatment may include various combinations of, but not limited to: spinal and/or joint mobilizing Chiropractic adjustments; numerous physical therapies such as :ultrasound; heat and/or ice applications; electro-muscle stimulation (EMS), transcutaneous electro-nerve stimulation (TENS), interferrential stimulation (IFC); low-level laser therapy (photo-bio stimulation, PBS Class 3b); kinesiology taping; instrument assisted soft tissue massage (IASTM) and manual massage-type therapies. This is followed with home-care exercise and advice. Treatment is interactive with you, the patient, so you can express any concerns you may have about the style of adjustments and therapies you will be most comfortable with.
Wellness Program:
Prior to leaving after the first visit, patients will be instructed on a wellness program to be conducted at home. If you are in pain when you first come into our office, this may include ice or heat application instructions, the use of analgesic gels, avoidance of certain activities or positions, as well as home exercises and/or stretches.
If you desire an overall wellness lifestyle, Dr. Pisarek will collaborate with you to create good habits and routines that support your success. Everybody is unique and different, therefore requiring a unique and customized wellness plan. The foundation of our overall wellness lifestyle is maintaining healthy posture and good spinal/joint alignment, eating a healthy diet, behavioral lifestyle modification(s), drinking plenty of fresh water, taking nutritional supplements, keeping your weight under control and stress relief.
