Health and Fitness : A Matter of Choice: VGH Therapy Services Excels!

As the year progresses towards the fall and winter, individuals typically undergo knee replacements due to deductibles being met and their summer plans are over. Our therapy staff at Virginia Gay Hospital is well trained in the treatment of total knee replacements with having six therapists who have combined experience of 50 years in treating patients.

Not only does VGH Therapy Services provide outpatient services to treat a knee replacement, but the hospital has skilled level of care to assist patients with reaching their goals of returning home, after their surgery if the person is not ready. When a patient returns home after surgery but is unable to return to Therapy Services for treatment we can treat you right at home, until you’re able to come to outpatient therapy.

Our Therapy Services patients are our best advocates. Below is a testimonial, from one of our clients who underwent a bilateral knee replacement, about VGH Therapy Services:

“The time had come for my wife Mary Ann to have something done with her knees as she no longer could endure the pain and had no quality of life. We had two decisions to make, the first being who she wanted to do her surgery and the second was where to go for therapy. The first decision was very simple as I had total knee replacement in 1993 and was very happy with the surgeon so we were able to ensure that he would do her surgery. The second decision was very difficult in that I was not at all happy with where I had my therapy and we wanted to see if there was some other place that was better suited for us.

As a member of the American Legion, all the posts in Benton County meet once a month at different post homes throughout the county and I would talk to members of the Legion or Legion Auxiliary who I knew had joint replacements concerning where they thought would be the best place for my wife to undergo therapy. Every person I talked with recommended the Virginia Gay Therapy Department and although we had no prior experience with Virginia Gay they were right on with their assessment of the therapy program there.

There are two vital parts of the therapy program at Virginia Gay and that is the Valets and the Therapist and we feel that it is the best combination that is so essential to the welfare of the patients. When you first arrive at the main entrance to the hospital, the valets are right there and have the door to the car open and ascertain your needs as to whether you need a wheel chair, your walker or cane taken out of the car and with safety paramount in their mind, they assist you out of your vehicle. This aspect is very important this time of year as ice can be very detrimental to a joint replacement if you happen to slip. These valets are trained on how to assist a patient out of their vehicle and they use techniques to reduce the threat of a patient slipping. The will even park your car for you which is a plus.

The second part of the program are the therapists and we feel that you would be hard pressed to find a better group anywhere as they are warm, compassionate and professional. It does not take long before you are a member of the therapy family and we like the fact that my wife has been able to see different therapists which we feel has enhanced her recovery as she is progressing along much faster than I did. Each therapists you see maintains your chart with all that you accomplished the day of your session and if for some reason a therapist is unable to be there, another therapist can grab your chart and progress with you to the next step and not have to reinvent the wheel.

When her therapy session is done it is back to the main entrance of the hospital where the valets help my wife into the car and even buckle her seat belt for her.

We know that in the near future her therapy at Virginia Gay will be complete and that is a good feeling but we will miss all the individuals connected with the therapy program at Virginia Gay. It is hard to imagine that right under our nose, the best therapy program in these parts exists at Virginia Gay and we would highly recommend it to anyone who is in such need.”

Monte L. Railsback
MSgt, USMC (Ret)

If you have questions about VGH Therapy Services, please visit our webpage. Your VGH healthcare provider can help you connect, click here for a list of providers.