FrontDesk works for any practice that books by phone, but a physical therapy clinic has its own notes, measures and codes. When your business type is Physical Therapy, the app changes its words, its starter services, its templates, its measures, its code sets and its website to fit. This guide collects what is different; everything else in the help center applies as written.
The words FrontDesk uses
The app says patient, session, therapist and clinic: on the calendar, patient records, notifications, the website, and in what the AI says on the phone. On a call the AI refers to your business as the therapy center, books sessions, and uses the same wording on outbound confirmation and recall calls.
Starter services
Your service list starts filled in with 26 services. Edit any of them under Services; see Manage appointment types.
- Evaluation: Initial Evaluation (60 min), Re-Evaluation (30), Progress Evaluation (30)
- Treatment: Treatment Session (45), Extended Treatment Session (60), Brief Treatment Session (30)
- Orthopedic: back, neck, shoulder, knee, hip, ankle/foot and hand/wrist (45 each)
- Post-op: Post-Surgical Rehab, Total Joint Replacement Rehab, ACL Rehabilitation, Rotator Cuff Rehab (45 each)
- Sports, pediatric and geriatric sessions (45 each)
- Manual: Manual Therapy, Dry Needling, Cupping Therapy (30 each)
- Aquatic Therapy (45), and Balance Training, Vestibular Rehabilitation (45) and Neurological Rehabilitation (60)
PT note templates
When you write a clinical note, the Template dropdown lists the PT templates first:
| Template | Type | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| PT daily note | Progress | Subjective and pain rating, treatment provided with minutes, response, assessment, plan and home program, timed minutes and total treatment time |
| PT initial evaluation | SOAP | History and referral, pain (NPRS current, best, worst), prior level of function and goals, observation, range of motion, strength, special tests, neuro screen, functional tests and outcome measures, PT diagnosis, prognosis, short- and long-term goals, plan of care, home exercise program, precautions |
| PT progress note / re-evaluation | SOAP | Reporting period and visits, objective findings compared with the evaluation, outcome measures initial vs current, goal status, continued need for skilled care, updated plan of care and certification, physician communication |
| PT discharge summary | Discharge | Dates and visits, status vs initial evaluation, goals met or not, outcome measures initial vs discharge, reason for discharge, home program, follow-up |
The generic SOAP note and Progress note come next, then any templates your clinic made. The mental health templates (DAP, BIRP, GIRP) are hidden. Built-in templates are read-only; Manage templates lets you make your own. AI progress notes fill in whichever template you pick.
Pain and function measures
Outcome measures on the patient's Notes tab → Measures list these under Recommended for your practice:
| Measure | What it measures | Score | Better is |
|---|---|---|---|
| NPRS | Pain now, best and worst in 24 hours (average of the three) | 0–10 | Lower |
| LEFS | Lower extremity function, 20 items | 0–80 | Higher |
| UEFI-20 | Upper extremity function, 20 items | 0–80 | Higher |
| RMDQ (Roland-Morris) | Low back disability today, 24 yes/no items | 0–24 | Lower |
| ABC | Balance confidence, 16 activities (average %) | 0–100 | Higher |
| Berg Balance | Clinician-observed balance, 14 tasks | 0–56 | Higher |
Send the first five to the patient by text and email, or enter them in session. Berg Balance is scored by the clinician, so it is always entered in session, cannot be sent or scheduled, and a score of 45 or below raises an elevated fall risk flag. PHQ-9, GAD-7 and the other screening tools remain available under Other instruments.
The Oswestry Disability Index, Neck Disability Index and QuickDASH are not included because they are licensed for use in commercial software. Roland-Morris, LEFS, UEFI-20 and NPRS cover the same ground and are free to use.
Billing and diagnosis codes
Both code sets load automatically; there is nothing to switch on.
- Charges: the charge dialog on the patient's Billing tab offers 64 PT codes: evaluations 97161, 97162, 97163 and re-evaluation 97164; therapeutic procedures per 15 minutes (97110, 97112, 97116, 97140, 97530, 97535 and more); supervised and attended modalities, including G0283 for Medicare unattended e-stim; dry needling 20560 and 20561; strapping and taping; tests and measurements (97750); orthotics (97760 to 97763, L1902, L3908, L4360); work conditioning; remote therapeutic monitoring; supplies. The seeded fees are starting points: set your own under Set client fees and rates. See Charges and the Billing tab.
- Diagnoses: the Diagnoses (ICD-10) search offers 289 FY2026 ICD-10-CM codes in 17 groups: low back, knee, shoulder, hip and pelvis, elbow/wrist/hand, neck and thoracic, ankle and foot, post-surgical aftercare, neurological, gait/balance/falls, pelvic health, vestibular and concussion, pediatric, cardiopulmonary, TMJ, lymphedema and general musculoskeletal. See Add diagnoses.
Intake forms
The prebuilt form library under Settings → Documentation includes a PT New Patient Intake (patient information, emergency contact, referring physician, insurance, reason for visit, pain assessment, medical history, goals) and a Pain & Function Questionnaire (pain location, current, worst and best pain, what makes it better or worse, functional impact, prior treatment). Telehealth and AI-assisted notes consent forms are there too.
What the AI does on calls
The AI books evaluations and sessions from your services and hours, and hands off to your team like any practice. Two safety rules are on from the start:
- New numbness, weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or saddle anesthesia: the AI tells the caller to go to the ER and does not book.
- A fall with a head injury: the caller should be medically evaluated first.
On Receptionist → AI Voice → Clinical rules, Suggested for physical therapy practices lists three more you can add: physician referral or prescription, whether a referral is needed (direct access), and workers' comp or motor vehicle accident cases. They are not active until you add them. See Review queue & clinical rules.
Your website
The website builder uses PT wording: a physical therapy hero and highlights, service blurbs, a "Questions patients ask first" FAQ that includes whether patients need a referral, and insurance and payment copy. Aurora and Sequoia are marked Made for you. Until you upload your own photos, the site uses a general medical sample photo.