North Florida
Pelvic floor and orthopedic physical therapy in North Florida, by video.
Aetna and Medicare in-network; private pay with superbills for other plans. Women's and men's pelvic health and orthopedic physical therapy, one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, from home anywhere in North Florida.
- No referral needed to start (30-day direct access)
- Usually seen within a week
- Video visits anywhere in North Florida
What we treat in North Florida
Three specialties. One physical therapist.
Outside Jacksonville and Gainesville, North Florida and the Panhandle have very few pelvic health physical therapists, and the military families around Pensacola, Eglin, and Jacksonville are often sent hours away. Video visits mean the specialist comes to you.
Women's pelvic floor physical therapy
- Pregnancy and after birth
- Postpartum recovery · Pregnancy pelvic and back pain · Diastasis recti · C-section recovery
- Bladder and bowel
- Urinary incontinence · Overactive bladder, urgency and frequency · Pelvic organ prolapse · Constipation and bowel dysfunction
- Pain and recovery
- Painful intercourse · Chronic pelvic pain · Menopause pelvic health · Recovery after pelvic surgery
Men's pelvic floor physical therapy
- After prostate treatment
- Leaking after prostate surgery · Pelvic floor and erectile dysfunction
- Pain and urgency
- Chronic pelvic pain syndrome · Male urgency, frequency and leaking
Orthopedic physical therapy
- Spine
- Low back pain · Sciatica · Neck pain and headaches
- Hip and knee
- Hip pain · Knee pain · Rehab after knee or hip surgery
- Shoulder, foot and ankle
- Shoulder pain · Foot and ankle pain
Coverage in Florida
Insurance and pricing
Bring your plan name to the discovery call and we confirm your physical therapy benefit before the first visit. No surprises.
Aetna
In-network (Aetna designated provider). Most Aetna plans cover physical therapy with a copay or coinsurance; we confirm yours before the first visit.
Medicare
In-network with traditional Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans vary; ask on the discovery call.
Private pay
Available for any other plan. We provide a superbill you can submit for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards accepted.
Referrals
Florida allows you to start physical therapy without a referral. If care continues past 30 days for a condition no physician has seen you for, we help you get a quick practitioner review so treatment can continue.
Everywhere in North Florida and the Panhandle is seen by video. In-home visits are available in Miami-Dade County only.
Questions
Questions people ask in North Florida
- Is there a pelvic floor physical therapist in North Florida?
- Do I need a referral for physical therapy in Florida?
- Can I get pelvic floor physical therapy by telehealth in Florida?
- Does Aetna cover pelvic floor physical therapy?
- Does Medicare cover pelvic floor physical therapy?
- Can I get reimbursed for out-of-network pelvic floor physical therapy in Florida?
- Can pelvic floor physical therapy be done over video?
- How many pelvic floor physical therapy visits does it take?
- How much does pelvic floor physical therapy cost?
- Do men need pelvic floor physical therapy?
Where
Anywhere in North Florida
A video visit works the same in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Pensacola, Panama City, Destin, Lake City, Palatka, and Fernandina Beach as it does anywhere else in North Florida. No clinic, no drive, no waiting room.
- Jacksonville
- St. Augustine
- Gainesville
- Tallahassee
- Pensacola
- Panama City
- Destin
- Lake City
- Palatka
- Fernandina Beach
- Everywhere in between
Pages for each area
- Ponte Vedra Beach and Nocatee
- Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach
- St. Augustine
- San Marco, Avondale and Ortega
- 30A and Santa Rosa Beach
- Destin and Miramar Beach
- Tallahassee
- Gainesville
- Lake City and Live Oak
- Perry, Madison and the Big Bend
- Apalachicola and the Forgotten Coast
- Marianna, Chipley and DeFuniak Springs
- Crestview, Milton and Pace
- Palatka and Putnam County
- Starke, Macclenny and Lake Butler
- Chiefland, Williston and Cedar Key
How it works
How a virtual visit works
Most of pelvic floor physical therapy is education, breathing and pressure management, movement retraining, and a home program. All of it works on camera. During the evaluation, Dr. Shalem guides a self-assessment so she can see how the pelvic floor is coordinating with breath and movement. An internal examination is not possible by video; if a hands-on assessment would change the plan, she says so and helps the patient find local care.
Discovery call
15 minutes, free, by phoneA short call to hear what is going on, explain how visits work, and check insurance or pricing. No pressure to book.
Evaluation
60 minutes, by videoDr. Shalem takes a full history, watches how you move and breathe, and guides the self-assessments she needs to build a plan.
Your plan
Same visitYou leave the evaluation with a plain-language explanation and a short home program, usually a few minutes a day.
Follow-ups
45 minutes, every 1 to 2 weeksProgress checks, program updates, and techniques you can do yourself, for as long as they are useful.
For a video visit you will need
- A phone, tablet, or laptop with a camera
- A private room
- A mat or towel
- About an hour
Questions
Common questions in North Florida
Do I need a referral for physical therapy in Florida?
Florida allows you to start physical therapy without a referral. If care continues past 30 days for a condition no physician has seen you for, we help you get a quick practitioner review so treatment can continue.
What insurance do you take in Florida?
Aetna: In-network (Aetna designated provider). Most Aetna plans cover physical therapy with a copay or coinsurance; we confirm yours before the first visit. Medicare: In-network with traditional Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans vary; ask on the discovery call. Private pay: Available for any other plan. We provide a superbill you can submit for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards accepted.
Do you see men as well as women?
Yes. Dr. Shalem treats women's pelvic health, men's pelvic health (leaking after prostate surgery, chronic pelvic pain, urgency, and pelvic-floor-related erectile dysfunction), and orthopedic conditions for everyone.
Do I have to live near a city to be seen?
No. Video visits work anywhere in North Florida with an internet connection. Patients in rural areas are a large share of the practice.
What does a visit cost?
With in-network insurance, your plan's physical therapy copay or cost share; we verify it before the first visit. Private-pay rates are quoted on the free discovery call, and a superbill is provided for out-of-network reimbursement.
How soon can I be seen?
Usually within a week. Evening and weekend appointments are available.
Your physical therapist
Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Miami. Licensed in Florida.
Dr. Shalem treats pelvic health for women and men, from pregnancy and postpartum recovery to bladder, bowel, and pelvic pain conditions and recovery after prostate or pelvic surgery, and general orthopedic conditions of the back, neck, hips, knees, shoulders, and feet. Visits are one-on-one and unhurried, and she explains what she is seeing in plain language.
More about Dr. ShalemPrefer to write? Send a message.
Questions about insurance, pricing, or whether physical therapy is the right next step? We reply within one business day.
Start with a free 15-minute call.
Tell us what is going on, hear how Dr. Shalem would approach it, and decide from there.