Outpatient Rehab – We Keep You Moving

Recovering from an accident, illness, surgery or cancer treatment can require weeks – or even months – of specialized care. That’s where outpatient rehabilitation comes in. It helps restore mobility and independence – and it can be the single biggest factor influencing the quality of the rest of your life.

“Whether your goal is to get back your golf swing or learn to walk all over again, there are a wide variety of outpatient rehabilitation programs in every geographic region served by Atlantic Health System medical centers,” says Dan Whelan, director of outpatient rehabilitation services. “Convenience is key when patients are making regular trips to rehab. We have a responsibility to make care accessible to patients in every community we serve and to maintain the same high standard of care throughout those facilities.”

With more than 160 staff members working at more than a dozen outpatient rehabilitation locations, there are specialized therapists and programs to meet every patient’s unique needs … and do it well. Multiple centers offer physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, audiology, stroke rehabilitation, lymphedema management, pelvic floor rehabilitation and more. Specialized programs, such as the Amputee Walking School, athletic training, sports rehabilitation and the recently opened Gerald J. Glasser Center for Neuro Rehabilitation in New Providence, offer added services and unique cutting-edge technologies for patients with specific needs.

Talent, Teamwork and the Therapist-Patient Relationship

A commitment to excellence among Atlantic Health System outpatient rehabilitation facilities begins with the therapists, many of whom have earned specialty certifications in addition to advanced degrees from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. They meet regularly to collaborate with their peers, testing theories and outcomes, while a Clinical Excellence Committee ensures that best practices are shared throughout the system.

“Much emphasis is placed on the therapist-patient relationship, with therapists assigned to the same patient for each session,” points out Whelan. “This system-wide strategy puts patients on a productive path to recovery under the supervision of therapists who become partners in that journey.” 

 Having several different types of therapists working in the same facility is also an added benefit, says Jason Metoxen, MSPT, OCS, a physical therapist at Atlantic Rehabilitation’s New Providence campus.

“If a knee replacement patient is experiencing dizziness, for example, we’ll confer with a vestibular specialist on-site who can also evaluate the patient and make recommendations for possible further treatment – all under one roof.”

In addition to providing a hands-on therapeutic role, many physical therapists agree that education and encouragement are also critical to the therapist-patient relationship.

“People with a back injury, for example, need to be educated about the importance of continuing their exercises at home, following rehab, to avoid reinjury,” says Robert A. Baumgartner, PT, DPT, a member of the Newton Medical Center physical therapy staff for 30 years. “Our goal is to help them manage their condition independently.”

To help ease the transition from outpatient therapy to home, many Atlantic Health System outpatient facilities have established their own on-site fitness centers, which patients can join for a nominal monthly fee.

“Just because you’re discharged, doesn’t mean you’re gone and forgotten,” remarks Paul Cuntala, PT, DPT, of Hackettstown Medical Center. “Our exercise physiologists understand your health history, can explain how to properly use the machines, and can assist your progress. Fifty percent of our joint replacement patients opt to join our fitness center because they feel more comfortable under our watchful eyes.”

Advanced Therapeutic Devices

Atlantic Rehabilitation patients have access to advanced therapeutic devices, such as the following:

AlterG® Anti-Gravity Treadmill® – a treadmill developed with NASA technology that allows patients to exercise at a lower body weight, reducing the impact of walking or running at up to 80 percent of their body weight.

Bioness® L300 – a medical device, worn on the lower leg and operated by a handheld remote control, that uses state-of-the-art, functional electrical stimulation technology to help improve safety and efficiency for people with foot drop.

Bioness® H200 Wireless Hand Rehabilitation System – a device that helps patients recovering from stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury or nervous system disorders regain control of the muscles in their hands and forearms.

To complement rehabilitative exercises, therapists often prescribe integrative medicine techniques, such as Qi Gong and yoga, to help further reduce pain, increase strength and endurance, and prevent future injury.

Growing Need for Cancer Rehab

“We are seeing a tremendous increase in the number of cancer patients coming for rehabilitation,” observes Whelan. “The aftereffects of lifesaving cancer treatment can include pain, lymphedema, and problems with coordination, balance, range of motion, strength, endurance and flexibility. An individualized and comprehensive rehabilitation program can help patients restore optimal physical functioning following cancer surgery, chemotherapy or radiation.”

As the baby boom population ages and the prevalence of osteoarthritis rises, Atlantic Health System’s outpatient therapists are also helping a growing number of patients regain mobility following hip and knee replacements. “We’re not only helping people resume their daily lives, we’re putting more people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s back on the ski slopes and tennis courts than ever before!” remarks Whelan.
 

Specialized Outpatient Rehabilitation Programs

Neuro Rehab (908-522-2215)
Patients recovering from strokes, brain injuries, movement disorders, vestibular disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, gait/balance dysfunction and spinal cord injuries can receive specialized care at Atlantic Rehabilitation. The centers, including the new Gerald J. Glasser Center for Neuro Rehabilitation, offer physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language pathology, and audiology to improve physical functioning, communication skills, swallowing, visual/perceptual deficits, and cognitive dysfunction. There is also a full working kitchen and washer/dryer for occupational therapy, private treatment rooms, and a biweekly prosthetic/orthotic clinic.

Amputee Walking School (multiple locations; 1-800-247-9580)
Patients of all ages and levels of lower limb amputation can attend this advanced gait training and running program, offered at many Atlantic Rehabilitation facilities. Those beginning the Amputee Walking School will learn basic exercises and stretches designed to improve their walking gait with their prosthetic devices. Training is customized to individual needs and as they progress, patients will learn more advanced techniques to increase strength and flexibility. Family members and loved ones of amputees are also encouraged to attend the program for educational purposes and support.

Orthopedics and Sports Rehabilitation
(multiple locations; see list at end of article)
Whether you are an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, Atlantic Health System’s orthopedics and sports rehabilitation programs are designed to return you to action as safely and quickly as possible. Therapists certified in various areas of specialization work closely with patients and their doctors to create a customized rehabilitation treatment plan for many injuries, including arthritis and other chronic pain issues; exercise-related or sports injuries; overuse and overtraining injuries; postsurgical rehabilitation, including joint replacement surgery; reconditioning after illness; and spine, shoulder, elbow, ankle, foot, hip and knee ailments. Patients recovering from an injury or looking to improve their performance in their sport can benefit from Cybex and Arc machines; elliptical trainers; the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill; concussion rehabilitation services; functional movement screening; sports-specific strengthening programs; yoga-based stretches; Pilates core strengthening; 3-D motion capture advanced motion analysis; Biodex isokinetic muscle assessment and rehabilitation; Titleist golf swing analysis; and more.

At Atlantic Sports Health Physical Therapy at 111 Madison Avenue in Morristown, patients can perform running, agility and sports-specific drills on a 50-yard indoor turf field.

“To my knowledge, it’s the only hospital facility of its kind,” remarks Christine Sheerin, PT, DPT, OCS, lead physical therapist. “We have full locker rooms with showers, a range of sports and therapeutic equipment, and therapists to help patients – from middle school age to those in their 90s – return to full function in their sport. Patients arrive here ready to work … or rather, play!”

Learn more about outpatient rehabilitation at Atlantic Health System >