Maintenance/Wellness Care

What is it?
Maintenance care, otherwise known as wellness care, is a phase of care that promotes the optimization of health. With maintenance care, the primary objective is to optimize the function of the body through behavioral modification. Examples of behavioral modification can include counseling on diet, nutrition, exercise physiology, and work ergonomics to name a few. By incorporating minor lifestyle alterations, a better life can be attained.

What is the frequency of care?
Typically, the frequency of care is low for individuals in maintenance care. Generally, the frequency of visits is one office visit every one to three months. As the condition is supported, the frequency of care is diminished and treatment goals are modified to address the patient's specific needs to promote overall wellness.

What therapeutic modalities will be used?
As the patient has properly supported his/her condition, the primary goal of care is wellness promotion. Because the patient is free from pain or discomfort, many of the passive modalities such as cryotherapy, traction therapy, electrotherapy, ultrasound, etc., are unnecessary. Generally, the therapies employed in this phase of care are limited to chiropractic manipulative therapy along with soft tissue work as clinically indicated.

What are the treatment goals?
Common treatment goals for patients in wellness care include increasing overall function and promoting wellness. At this time, patients are educated in proper biomechanics along with diet and nutrition to facilitate optimum function and promote a long and healthy life.

What is the cost of care?
Because of the frequency of care and the types of therapies employed, the cost of wellness care is relatively inexpensive. As the condition is now stabilized, less physical therapy modalities are required which drastically affects the cost of care.

Will insurance cover it?
As the patient progresses in care, the insurance provider is less likely to cover these services. As many insurance providers deem supportive and preventive care as "medically unnecessary", the financial responsibility of preventive care is unfortunately passed on to the patient. If you feel these services should be covered by your insurance, contact your insurance provider and express your concerns with their policies on prevention and maintenance.