Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Pembroke Regional Hospital Launches New Publicly-Funded Community Physiotherapy Clinic
PEMBROKE – As part of a provincially-funded initiative, the Pembroke Regional Hospital is pleased to announce that it is now one of the new sites across Ontario to offer publicly-funded physiotherapy services through a community-based clinic now located at PRH.
Funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and operated by the hospital’s outpatient physiotherapy department, the new physiotherapy clinic was launched on July 21st and is now accepting referrals through local family physicians and nurse practitioners.
“A key objective of this provincially funded program is to expand access to publicly-funded physiotherapy services in communities which are currently underserviced,” said Sabine Mersmann, Vice-President of Patient Services – Seniors and Community Care.
“Being able to provide this service locally will help ensure that our seniors and other eligible patients receive the physiotherapy assessment, diagnosis and treatment they need in a timely manner close to home,” she said.
Both a physiotherapist and a rehabilitation assistant have been hired to facilitate this service which provides goal-oriented physiotherapy treatment to patients with specific health conditions, over a period of time with a defined health outcome. The number, frequency and duration of visits offered will vary by patient at the determination of the physiotherapist.
Guidelines for program eligibility have been established by the province. To be eligible for the PRH publicly-funded physiotherapy clinic, patients must have a valid Ontario health card and a referral from their physician or nurse practitioner and be:
- Age 65 or older;
- Age 19 or younger;
- Any age after overnight hospitalization for a condition that requires physiotherapy (and for which they are not otherwise eligible through other publicly funded programs);
OR
- Be a recipient of Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program (with or without a valid Ontario health card).
Any patients wishing to find out if they are eligible for this service are asked to contact their family physician or nurse practitioner.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Carolyn Levesque, Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator
Pembroke Regional Hospital
(613) 732-3675, ext. 6165 / carolyn.levesque@pemreghos.org
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