Leader & State Register
SEAFORD — An aquatic treadmill was a featured attraction May 5 at Nanticoke Health Services’ five year anniversary celebration of Nanticoke Rehabilitation Services at the Mears Health Campus.
Open house guests saw demonstrations and equipment and techniques used in the outpatient service for occupational, physical and speech therapy.
In addition to hand therapy and carpal tunnel information in the occupational therapy gym, demonstrations in the physical therapy gym included the traction (pelvic and cervical), Wii, balance testing and the HydroTrack.
An underwater treadmill, the HydroTrack caters to patients with such issues as hip or knee replacement and lower body arthritis.
According to Lisa Schappell, Nanticoke’s Rehab Services Coordinator, the HydroTrack allows patients to "build their strength up" and then progress "to land base exercises, which is the next step to recovering your functional ability."
While the celebration marked the five year anniversary of the Mears Campus site, outpatient rehabilitation services have been provided for Nanticoke Memorial Hospital for over 30 years, Ms. Schappell said.
"And in last year we’ve seen increases in the volume of rehab services by about 60 percent," said Tres Pelot, Nanticoke’s Director of Therapy Services.
In conjunction with the anniversary of outpatient service at the Mears campus is the awaited return of increased orthopedic service at Nanticoke Memorial Hospital.
This will include the return of one physician with Peninsula Orthopedics Association, Ms. Schappell said.
According to Mr. Pelot, Delphi Group, a hospital based contract service, later this summer will supply orthopedic surgeons to basically be on call at Nanticoke for trauma service.
This, Mr. Pelot said, will allow Nanticoke Memorial to regain Level 3 trauma status it lost because the hospital’s orthopedic coverage did not meet required timeframe standards. "We will be able to get that back," said Mr. Pelot.
Ms. Schappell said this will benefit orthopedic patients from the area who must travel to Salisbury or Lewes for treatment and service.
"They will be treated and possibly have surgery … and surgeries aren’t always scheduled here because their physicians may not have privileges with our hospital. So we lose them (patients) and it is inconvenient for them," said Ms. Schappell. "We are offering orthopedic services again at hospital."
