Facility Spotlight: Osborne County Memorial Hospital
“If anyone is considering building a new therapy department or adding aquatic therapy to their existing space, I would highly recommend considering options from HydroWorx.”
Aaron Geist, Doctor of Physical Therapy and the Director of the Rehab Department at OCMH
Osborne County Memorial Hospital (OCMH) in Osborne, KS opened a new critical access hospital facility in March 2020. The Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department updated its look with new equipment to improve patient care and enhance the value of therapy.
One of the most significant pieces of new equipment is the HydroWorx 300. Aaron Geist, Doctor of Physical Therapy and the Director of the Rehab Department at OCMH, has seen an improvement in patient outcomes by offering aquatic therapy.
“We get patients of all ages and abilities in the pool, and everyone seems to enjoy the aquatic environment,” said Aaron.
Aaron provided a few examples of how each age group has benefitted from their aquatic therapy program:
- Young athletes have fun and are excited when they can perform higher level agility drills in the pool with less pain while recovering from injury or surgery.
- Middle-age patients with back pain or those who are recovering from joint surgeries can move through greater ranges of motion without being as limited by external forces like gravity.
- Elderly patients can move better in the warm water environment with less arthritic joint discomfort while focusing on strength and balance improvements.
“This is such a unique intervention we can now offer to patients in our rural area. Many have not experienced anything like this before.”
Aaron Geist, Doctor of Physical Therapy and the Director of the Rehab Department at OCMH
Patients, however, aren’t the only ones commenting on the aquatic therapy program. OCMH has received compliments from professionals, including multiple orthopedic surgeon offices and podiatrists, who have praised the use of aquatic rehab in the patient recovery process.
Even though OCMH is 1,296 miles away from the HydroWorx headquarters (in Harrisburg, PA), the coordination between the teams in acquiring and implementing the use of their HydroWorx 300 was hugely successful from construction to product training.
“Hydroworx coordinated with the construction team and the architectural team that built our facility to design a space that would fit perfectly into our department,” shared Aaron, “They also sent reps to train us on the best ways to incorporate aquatic therapy into our rehab programs, and taught us how to perform routine maintenance to keep our unit functioning to its highest potential. Their maintenance reps are extremely helpful in answering questions or helping with any issues we have. If anyone is considering building a new therapy department or adding aquatic therapy to their existing space, I would highly recommend considering options from Hydroworx.”
Benefits of Hydrotherapy at Critical Access Hospitals: Free Webinar
Many Critical Access Hospitals have found aquatic therapy to be an ideal match for the unique needs of a rehabilitation department serving a rural community. Learn how it can improve and accelerate patient outcomes while offering a service to your community that may not otherwise be available. Watch the free on-demand webinar >
Get Started With Hydrotherapy
HydroWorx has helped hundreds of physical therapy organizations, like OHMC, develop and implement aquatic programs. Our team has a simple process proven to set you up for success. Ready to start your journey?
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Learn more about the Physical Therapy and Rehab Department at OCMH at https://www.ocmh.org/physical-therapy.