Physical therapy assistant Amy Denman, back, works with Del Raymond, Prairie City, at Blue Mountain Hospital in January 2016.

Rehabilitation services at Blue Mountain Hospital are alive and well.

We continue to provide outpatient, inpatient, swing bed and home health therapies to our Grant County community. In the last two years, we have added occupational therapy services to our inpatient and home health programs, and we are in the process of adding speech therapy services for our inpatient program, which should begin this summer.

Blue Mountain Hospital outpatient services continue to provide physical therapy with the addition of new staff to accommodate community needs. In the recent past, we have served 80-90 patients on our caseload. Now we are serving 180 patients. Outpatient physical therapy provides care for a large variety of diagnosis and age groups, including, but not limited to: post-surgical rehabilitation for all orthopedic surgeries, low-back pain, neck pain, headaches, carpal tunnel, elbow pain, ankle sprains and strains, knee sprains and strains, hand pain, joint pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, post-stroke rehabilitation, fall prevention, gait and balance training, sports performance optimization, vertigo and TMJ, as well as pediatric care.

Physical therapy utilizes hands-on manual therapy treatments, including spinal alignment, joint mobilization and soft tissue mobilization, along with exercise and movement prescription to get you out of pain and back to doing the things you love.

Occupational therapists in our inpatient and home health settings are focused on gaining an individual’s independence after a debilitating illness. Our therapists work on activities such as dressing, cooking, bathing and other functional tasks that are related to daily living. They will utilize exercise prescription and functional movement during a treatment session that are focused on your goals for return to your prior level of function or better.

In order to receive inpatient or home health therapy services, you must have an order from your physician. To receive outpatient physical therapy services, it is not a requirement by the state of Oregon to have a doctor’s referral for physical therapy, but it is a good idea to consult your primary care physician to discuss your concerns with your doctor prior to seeking therapy services.

We are available to consult by phone if you have any questions about your specific concerns. Please call 541-575-4157, and our reception staff will be happy to answer any questions about insurance and get you in touch with one of our therapists regarding specific conditions.

Jan Mead, PT, LAC, is the rehabilitation services director for Blue Mountain Hospital District.