Where we see patients

Can I get pelvic floor physical therapy by telehealth in Florida?

Yes. Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT, is licensed in Florida and sees patients anywhere in the state by video for women's and men's pelvic floor physical therapy and orthopedic physical therapy. Aetna and Medicare in-network; private pay with superbills for other plans. No referral needed to start (30-day direct access).

The details

What to know

Answered by the practice of Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT, pelvic floor and orthopedic physical therapist.

Florida is a big state, and specialist physical therapy clusters in a few metro areas. Video visits bring the same one-on-one care to a condo in Brickell, a ranch outside Ocala, or a retirement community in Naples, with in-home visits available in Miami-Dade.

Telehealth physical therapy is legal and covered in Florida when the therapist holds a Florida license and the patient is physically in the state at the time of the visit. The evaluation is 60 minutes, follow-ups are 45, and visits are one-on-one on a HIPAA-compliant platform.

In-home visits are available in Miami-Dade County with no travel fee; everywhere else in Florida is by video.

Phone for Florida: 786-273-9151. The first step is a free 15-minute discovery call to confirm coverage and fit.

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.

A woman at her kitchen table on a video visit with her physical therapist
  1. Discovery call

    15 minutes, free, by phone

    A short call to hear what is going on, explain how visits work, and check insurance or pricing. No pressure to book.

  2. Evaluation

    60 minutes, by video

    Dr. Shalem takes a full history, watches how you move and breathe, and guides the self-assessments she needs to build a plan.

  3. Your plan

    Same visit

    You leave the evaluation with a plain-language explanation and a short home program, usually a few minutes a day.

  4. Follow-ups

    45 minutes, every 1 to 2 weeks

    Progress 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
Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT

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. Shalem

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