Providence health system partners with in-home PT provider Luna

Patients will be matched to a physical therapist and be able to get therapy in their home

Over 126 million Americans, or half the adult population of the United States, likely has a musculoskeletal condition; physical therapy is essential for treating these injuries, but it can be a challenge to access, which is why a number of companies are now providing in-person, in-home care. 

One of the biggest companies providing that service is Luna, which offers a network of local physical therapists who provide the type of care administered in a traditional outpatient clinic, but from the comfort of a patient’s home. Using the Luna Physical Therapy app, patients can schedule an appointment and get matched with a local therapist who will provide a complete course of care.

The company, which operates across 48 markets in 27 states and has treated over 35,000  patients in their homes, will now be expanding its customer base as on Tuesday it announced a partnership with not-for-profit health system Providence, which serves the Western U.S. 

Founded in 2018, Luna matches patients with a physical therapist, who then delivers therapy in-person, either at their home or work. In between sessions, the therapist can also prescribe in-app exercises and answer any questions the patient might have in the Luna app. 

Going forward, Providence patients will have access to outpatient physical therapy service through the Luna platform, which will match eligible Providence patients to therapists based on factors such as specialty, geography, and schedules. Luna's network of local physical therapists will provide care from the comfort of a patient's home. 

The same therapist will treat the patient for the entirety of the treatment plan; between visits, patients can use Luna to communicate with their physical therapists, set appointment times, and perform therapist prescribed and monitored exercises.

Providence employs 120,000 caregivers, who serve in 52 hospitals and 1,085 across Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Luna will accept all insurance providers contracted with Providence, except for worker's compensation and disability.

"Providence is an innovative health system that is continuously finding ways to meet patients where they are," Prasanna Mohanty, chief operating officer for the clinical network at Providence, said in a statement. 

"We recognize that there is a growing number of physical therapy outpatients needing or wanting to remain at home, and Luna's in-home model will enable our teams to accommodate patient needs and ensure quality care that is safe and convenient."

This news comes a month after Luna was selected by AARP to be its exclusive provider of in-home physical therapy for its 38 million members.

(This story has been updated to reflect that Luna offers in-home physical therapy, not virtual care)