How To Choose The Best PRP Clinic: 6 Key Factors To Consider

If you’ve recently suffered an injury or are considering treatment sometimes called regenerative medicine, then you may be looking for a sports medicine specialty clinic that utilizes PRP. PRP (or platelet-rich plasma) can be a restorative and potentially life-changing treatment. It has helped many people recover from injuries and achieve things they may never have thought possible.

Because receiving a PRP injection is such a specialized treatment, it can be tough to find a provider in your area that’s professional, trusted, and right for you. It involves specific equipment and training that not every doctor will possess.

No matter what your reason is for seeking PRP treatment, your depth of research into and standards for where you decide to go should be the same. You should choose a clinic in which you’ll be treated with dignity, professionalism, and respect.

Below, we’ll take you through six factors that are essential to consider before choosing where to receive your PRP treatment.

1. Your Budget

Unfortunately, many insurance plans don’t cover PRP. Because of its complex nature, need for accurate diagnosis, and the equipment used, the treatment can be expensive. Before choosing a clinic to have a PRP injection, be sure to talk through the treatment’s pricing, insurance acceptance, and payment options.

You should also take into account extra expenses such as travel and time off work. For this reason, and because multiple PRP treatment sessions are sometimes required, if you do need to undergo PRP treatment, it may be wise to seek a clinic that’s close to your home.

2. Your Reason for Seeking Treatment

If you’re an athlete that’s been injured or even if you have chronic joint or muscle pain, you will want to seek out a sports injury clinic with a board certified physician specializing in sports injuries, musculoskeletal conditions, and experienced in using PRP. Meanwhile, if you’re someone experiencing hair loss, you’re probably looking for something closer to a cosmetic clinic.

Depending on the nature of why you’re seeking treatment, you may feel more comfortable working with a specialist in that particular field. This is something that is totally up to the patient to decide.

3. Your Rapport With Your Doctor

With all of the above said, if you do find a physician in your area that you’re comfortable with, this isn’t something that should be ignored. If they specialize in an area that doesn’t relate to your case, this doesn’t automatically mean that you shouldn’t seek treatment there if they offer PRP for your requirements, as well.

When choosing a physician, feeling comfortable is one of the most important things for a patient. In fact, studies have shown that a majority of patients want to feel their doctors are compassionate, comforting, and have personalities that are easy to get along with. If you find this in a clinic, don’t be quick to discount it because of the treatment it specializes in.

4. Your Diagnosis

When explaining your situation to your physician, you want to be sure they are really listening to you. They should understand your symptoms as well as your medical history. Different diagnoses require different treatments, even if the pain is located in the same area.

For example, someone suffering from a sports-related meniscus injury, and someone with early-onset Fibromyalgia, may require two different approaches to their treatment. Your doctor should be individualizing your treatment to you and your situation, and not simply recommending the maximum amount of treatments possible.

5. The Clinic’s Reputation

PRP treatment is a complex process that requires specialist knowledge and expertise. As such, it won’t be something that every physician is necessarily skilled in. This is why proper research into the background of the clinic you choose—as well as its staff—is so important.

Something as simple as a Google search will likely return scores of reviews. The clinic’s website might also contain patient testimonials and details of its staff’s achievements and credentials. Then, of course, there’s word of mouth; a recommendation from a trusted friend is enough to put many patient’s minds at ease.

6. The Protocols and Processes They Follow

PRP is a relatively new medical treatment in which methods are not standardized and the proper procedure might not be well known by patients. Because of this, some practitioners may try to get away with cutting corners or not following protocols. If you’re seeking PRP treatment from somewhere, ask about the clinic, the physician, and procedure, and look out for these details.

• If anyone other than a qualified nurse or doctor handles the blood at any point, this goes against proper protocols
• The clinic should adhere to stringent health and safety guidelines at every stage of the procedure
• The FDA recommends that platelet-rich plasma be separated and administered within four hours of being collected
• If a clinic offers industry gold standard treatments such as ultrasound-guided injections it’s usually a positive sign

Find the Right PRP Clinic for You Today

Undergoing PRP treatment is a big decision. It can be a costly and potentially life-changing procedure that requires careful thought and consideration. Be sure to consider all of the above factors, as well as any of your own personal questions and qualms, before settling on one provider.

At Sports Health Northwest, we understand that this is an important decision. This is why we aim to do everything possible to put our patients’ minds at ease. If you’re looking for a professional, board certified, respected, and trusted PRP clinic or sports medicine physician in the Portland, Oregon area, please don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation today.