Hospital opens new rehab clinic

April 11, 2002|BY RICHARD F. BELISLE

waynesboro@herald-mail.com

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Local residents needing physical and occupational therapy will no longer have to travel to Hagerstown or Chambersburg, Pa., for their treatments now that a state-of-the art facility has opened at Waynesboro Hospital.

The new Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine center opened behind the hospital in what used to be a physical therapy facility run by Easter Seals for more than 40 years.

When fully up and running, the hospital's new center will handle up to 100 patient visits a week, said Melanie Wennick, assistant director of physical medicine for Summit Health, owner of Waynesboro and Chambersburg hospitals.

Therapists trained in a variety of specialties using the latest in physical therapy equipment will be available to patients, Wennick said.

Wennick is an occupational therapist as well as a certified hand therapist.

Andrea Rankin will handle the needs of female patients from pregnant women to new mothers in need of physical therapy, breast surgery rehabilitation and those having problems with urinary incontinence.

Brad Dukehart specializes in occupational therapy. His practice and equipment are designed to get those injured on the job back to work faster.

Residents who overdo it on summer weekends playing softball, volleyball, tennis and even golf can get therapy with Denise Etter, who is skilled in sports injuries.

Those with back problems will be sent to Eric Kiefer.

In January, the first inpatient physical therapy center opened on the hospital's third floor. Patients no longer have to walk long distances to received therapy, Wennick said.

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