For the week of August 6 - 12, 2003

Hospital expands rehab center in doctors’ annex

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"With the community’s growing population, comes the need for additional and expanded health care services. Through St. Luke’s Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Services, we will be able to meet the needs of our community with state-of-the-art equipment, knowledgeable and friendly staff, and community outreach."

— BRUCE JENSEN, CEO of St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center

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By MATT FURBER
Express Staff Writer

In a joint venture, St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center and the Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital in Boise have put together a new outpatient therapy center in St. Luke’s Physician Office Annex adjacent to the hospital. The first patients were seen Monday, Aug. 4.

Akin to a weight room in an athletic club, the facility expands the hospital’s outpatient rehabilitation services, which include a variety of therapeutic machines, three treatment rooms and an aquatic therapy pool.

"We see a lot of work related hand injuries," said Mary Kay Foley, site manager and physical therapist. "We will work closely with patients so they can resume their daily lives as quickly and as safely as possible. We will also offer a variety of wellness programs to improve quality of life, fitness, and sports performance. The pool is also a great addition to our services."

"It looks like a little submarine," said one visitor.

The Swim EX pool produces current for resistance training.

"It’s like a class four wave," said one of the installers. "You could tie a rope to the wall and surf it."

Physical therapists can watch patients through the four windows in the pool or get in the water to work with them, said Foley.

There is also a 10-piece Nautilus clinic for strength and conditioning, treadmills, elliptical treadmills, Stairmasters, exercise bikes, a Pilates reformer machine for core strengthening, and an upper-extremity ergometer for rehabilitation of things like shoulder injuries.

Although worker’s compensation cases may be a large part of the business at the center, many visitors are likely to be sports injury patients.

Drs. Charlotte and Herbert Alexander moved their orthopedic services into the annex in November 2002. Their office is next door to the center.

The only other physician with offices in the annex is gynecologist Dr. Ross Donald, with the Women’s Medical Group. Nurse practitioner, Carol wade, who has an office in Hailey shares the space. The entire second floor of the annex is yet empty.

The rehab center is planning to offer corporate wellness programs and sees a growing potential for seasonal patients, said Foley. "People come to the mountains for recuperation."

There are already commercial services provided by a number of physical therapists in the valley.

Given the numbers of physical therapists in the valley, "you would think anyone considering opening a private practice would think twice about it," said Hailey physical therapist Mark Morgan, who owns his own clinic and has been practicing in the valley since 1990.

But, the hospital says there is enough demand to make the outpatient service worthwhile.

"With the community’s growing population, comes the need for additional and expanded health care services," said Bruce Jensen, CEO of St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center. "Through St. Luke’s Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Services, we will be able to meet the needs of our community with state-of-the-art equipment, knowledgeable and friendly staff, and community outreach."

"Since they already have a (rehabilitation) department up there, I don’t see it as a big change moving into a larger space," said Morgan. "If people live (in Hailey), they like to have their services here." A spokesperson for the Spine Care of Idaho said where people do their rehabilitation is all about convenience for the patient. Where they go is a matter of preference, the point is that they get rehabilitation aid.

For further information about St. Luke’s Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Services and its services, call 727-8253.

 

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