Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 14:49:01 -0500
From: Allison Conkey Bolin
Subject: Introduction: New Rehabilitation Services at Chatham Hospital
Chatham Hospital in Siler City is pleased to announce the expansion of
therapy services to the residents of Chatham County and surrounding areas!
In addition to an outstanding physical therapy staff, Chatham Hospital now
offers occupational therapy services to inpatients at the hospital and
community outpatients!
Why drive to Chapel Hill, Apex/Cary, Sanford or Asheboro to receive PT
and/or OT services, when you can get these services in your community? Both
physical and occupational therapy staff are available at our convenient,
easily accessible outpatient clinic in Siler City (with free parking!). We
offer rehabilitation services, including evaluation, treatment and
consultation to adolescents, adults and older adults from 8:00 to 5:00pm
Monday through Friday.
In early 2011, we will be moving to a new outpatient facility in the Chatham
Hospital Medical Office Building located behind Chatham Hospital in Siler
City. This new facility will include three private treatment rooms, a new
multi-station resistive training gym, and implementation of Wii-rehab for
balance, coordination training for outpatients.
Frequently asked questions about PT/OT services at Chatham Hospital:
1. *Why Chatham Hospital outpatient rehabilitation services**?*
There are numerous benefits of selecting Chatham Hospital outpatient PT/OT
services, including a convenient, easily accessible outpatient clinic in
your community, efficient and timely scheduling of client evaluations and
treatments, functional outcomes and improved quality of life oriented
treatment goals, as well as, a team of friendly and patient-care focused
therapists who live in/around Chatham County. Our therapy team encourages
client-centered care and patient involvement throughout the therapy process,
including the establishment of therapy goals and treatment interventions.
2. *What is Occupational Therapy and who would benefit from OT
services?*
* *
Occupational therapy (OT) is a client-centered health profession concerned
with promoting health and well being through occupation. The primary goal of
OT is to enable people to participate in meaningful *activities of everyday
life * and return to favored routines/roles at home and work. Occupational
therapy meets this outcome by addressing individual’s deficits and barriers,
including the demands of the task or environment, that limit the patient’s
ability to perform activities that they need or want to do related to
independence in self-care, home management, work-related tasks, and
participating in leisure and community pursuits.
Adolescents, adults, and older adults with limitations in participation in
or performance of daily activities due to physical disability, injury or
illness; chronic or age-related conditions; cognitive, neuro-muscular,
sensory, visual or perceptual impairments; and environmental barriers can
benefit from OT interventions. Occupational therapists can provide clinical
outpatient services to clients with a wide range of conditions including but
not limited to stroke, brain injury, Multiple Sclerosis, spinal cord
injuries, low vision, Parkinson’s disease, cognitive deficits, amputations,
fractures/sprains/hand therapy, carpel tunnel, arthritis/fibromyalgia,
balance disorders, and office ergonomics.
Occupational therapy clinical services offered include education/training in
daily living skills (self-care, home, vocational, leisure) and adaptive
equipment, fabrication of arm/hand orthotic devices/splints,
strengthening/coordination and neuromuscular re-education, body
mechanics/energy conservation training, sensory integrative techniques, home
and work safety assessments, and cognitive, visual and perceptual skills
re-training.
3. *What clinical services does Physical Therapy offer?*
From a minor ankle sprain to complex neurological deficits, our physical
therapy staff can help you get started on the road to recovery and return to
an active lifestyle. Physical therapy provides services to adolescents,
adults and geriatric patients to develop, maintain, and restore maximum
movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. Chatham Hospital
PT staff provides therapy for individuals with spine problems, including low
back pain, shoulder/arm injuries, work-related injuries, degenerative joint
disease, amputations, orthopedic and sports injuries, chronic pain,
neurological conditions or impairments such as stroke, brain injury,
arthritis/fibromyalgia, cardiopulmonary limitations, and post-op
joint/orthopedic rehabilitation needs.
Physical therapy treatments may focus on prosthetic device training, joint
mobilization/manipulation, therapeutic exercise/stretching/
strengthening
programs, use of therapeutic modalities including heat/cold, massage,
ultrasound, electrical stimulation iontophoresis, ambulation/gait training,
neuromuscular re-education and balance activities, body mechanics/care of
back, neck, chronic pain, and home safety assessments.
4. *What is the training and experience of your therapists?*
Our therapy team includes a Physical Therapist, two Physical Therapist
Assistants, and an Occupational Therapist. All therapists maintain an
active state of North Carolina license issued by the NC Board of PT and NC
Board of OT respectively.
Our physical therapist is a recent graduate with a doctoral degree in
Physical Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School
of Physical Therapy. He has clinical experience treating patients in
inpatient acute care and outpatient musculoskeletal settings as well as
working with patients requiring inpatient rehabilitation after severe
traumatic brain injury. His clinical interests also include working with
patients with neurological deficits. During graduate school, his doctoral
project was centered around analyzing and synthesizing the latest literature
on the effect of dual task performance on postural stability in individuals
who have suffered mild traumatic brain injury. Our Physical Therapist
Assistants have a combined 30+ years experience working in a variety of
settings including skilled nursing rehabilitation, outpatient and pediatric
clinics and have been with Chatham Hospital over ten years.
Our occupational therapist is a 2006 graduate of the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill with a master’s degree in Occupational Science with
a Certificate in Aging. She has clinical experience treating patients in
skilled nursing care, inpatient rehabilitation focusing on neurological
conditions including stroke and mild to severe traumatic brain injury,
inpatient acute care, and outpatient geriatric services. Clinical interests
include geriatric services, low vision, home and work safety/environmental
modifications, and vestibular/ neuromuscular/cognitive rehabilitation.
5. *How do I access physical and occupational therapy outpatient
services at Chatham Hospital?*
A physician’s referral is required to receive physical and occupational
therapy services. Consult with your doctor to assess if you or a loved one
would benefit from PT/OT outpatient services. When you have a physician’s
order, please call 919-663-2314 to schedule an evaluation appointment and
receive directions to our outpatient clinic.
6. *Who can I contact if I have questions about Chatham Hospital
Rehabilitation Services?*
The Director of Rehabilitation Services is available to answer questions
about therapy services at 919-799-4692. Please feel free to visit the
Chatham Hospital website for information related to the wide range of
patient services available to our community:
http://www.chathamhospital.org/