Injuries. Pain. Loss of speech or voice. Trauma. Muscle weakness. For the average person, these issues are often thought of as setbacks – and when you experience these setbacks, basic tasks of daily life can become a struggle.
Think of it this way: what if you could no longer pick something up off the floor without intense back pain? What if your joints start getting stiff and you can’t move your knees the same way? What if you suffer a brain injury and need to re-learn how to swallow?
All of these hypothetical situations can happen to anyone. But at Renown Health, there is one team dedicated to intervening at the right time, in the right place.
That team is Renown's Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy department, where setbacks become breakthroughs.
When it comes to the journey of recovery, Renown’s Outpatient Rehab Therapy (OP Rehab) team has your back (pun intended). From sports injuries and arthritis to neurodegenerative diseases and loss of coordination, your hands-on team includes:
Let’s start with our physical therapists (PTs) who care for patients in the outpatient setting. These experts specialize in evaluating and addressing challenges related to strength, endurance, mobility, walking and balance. The PTs work hard to incorporate advanced technology, targeted exercises, manual therapy and evidence-based treatment approaches into their care plans.
“As physical therapists, we are highly skilled providers with doctoral degrees in treating musculoskeletal complaints/post-surgical cases from head to toe, neuromuscular disorders, vestibular/concussion disorders, swelling and lymphedema and more,” said Nick Steller, Physical Therapist-Specialist at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – Robb. “We treat everyone, from infants to older adults, for one-on-one visits where we use a combination of exercise therapies, hands-on techniques and our clinical knowledge."
“I have individualized plans for every session that is specific to each patient’s goals,” added Kallee Oxborrow, Physical Therapist-Advanced at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – 2nd St. “If their goal is to walk better, I can break down the components that are necessary for that whether it is strengthening or improving balance or endurance. My goal is to challenge each individual to improve their deficits and their quality of life.”
For patients who need more specialized care, several physical therapists at Renown even focus on a unique area, such as neurology or oncology.
“I am a neurologic specialist, so I evaluate and treat patients that have various conditions including stroke, spinal cord and brain injury, Parkinson’s disease and others,” said Lauren Wilson, Physical Therapist-Specialist at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – Double R. “We work on improving the patient's independence with mobility tasks like walking and transfers, address fall risks and improve their ability to participate in functional and recreational activities that they enjoy.”
“I see patients with a variety of physical impairments, orthopedic and neurological conditions and post-operative rehab,” added Michelle Higgins, Physical Therapist-Specialist at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – Robb. “I spend a lot of time on patient education, which is critical to helping them succeed. I also perform a variety of interventions including dry needling and joint/soft tissue mobilization to optimize function and decrease pain. Therapeutic exercise is also a large part of each treatment plan.”
Now we meet our outpatient occupational therapists (OTs). OTs focus on enhancing fine motor skills and helping patients regain independence in everyday self-care activities like eating, bathing, dressing and using the restroom, helping patients return to daily routines with confidence. Many specialize in unique concerns, like pelvic floor dysfunction.
“I work with patients with all types of pelvic floor issues, including constipation or diarrhea during or after chemotherapy and/or radiation, urgency and frequency of bowel or bladder,” said Jennifer Cross, Occupational Therapist-Specialist at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – Double R. “I also see patients with fecal and urinary incontinence and all types of pelvic, vaginal or anal pain.”
Next, we’re heading on over to the speech-language pathologists (SLPs), who care for patients at our outpatient locations and University Health Speech Pathology & Audiology (located on the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine campus). SLPs treat all aspects of expression (both written and verbal) and cognition, including attention, problem solving, executive function and short-term memory.
“As a speech-language pathologist, my day typically consists of nine treatment (or evaluation) sessions,” said Matthew Potts, Speech-Language Pathologist-Advanced at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – 2nd St. “The outpatient setting is particularly intriguing because you never know who will be walking through the door. Speech-language pathologists are responsible for treating expressive (speaking) and receptive (understanding) aphasia, also known as loss of language. We are also responsible for determining the patient's risk of aspiration (food/liquid going down to the lungs). We determine the safest textures and liquids for the patient to consume. We can also determine which muscles are weak to aid in treatment planning. And of course, we provide family education every step of the way. It's incredible to see the patients make progress.”
“My day mostly revolves around seeing patients; a majority of the ones I see require long-term care, and I build strong relationships with them and their families,” added Josee Tousignant, Speech-Language Pathologist at University Health Speech and Audiology Therapies. “I get to spend a majority of my time with the patients themselves, helping to build their communication, whether that's verbal or using alternate methods. My goal in my job is to not be needed anymore, and I'm always thrilled when patients meet that, and I can discharge them.”
We now approach the outpatient-facing rehab therapy technicians, who are here to make sure all equipment is safe, clean, up-to-standards and ready to use for each patient. These talented techs are experts at creating an ideal healing environment.
“I am responsible for the health and well-being of the clinic,” said Rori Parale, Rehab Therapy Technician at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – Double R. “My main job is to make sure tables and equipment are clean and that everything is organized and presentable. Providing some much-needed TLC is my specialty. Through traction and electrical stimulation, patients have the opportunity to take care of themselves and relax. Creating a safe and appealing environment encourages patients to work hard to go back to living their best life!”
Last, but certainly not least, we close this meet-and-greet with the patient access representatives (PARs) who help keep the outpatient rehab machine running for both our patients and therapists.
“A big part of my role is to welcome and check in patients for their appointments,” said Beverly Vermillion, Patient Access Representative at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – Vista. “I also schedule appointments for patients and ensure that they receive continuous care. I continuously work through the therapists' wait list to accommodate current and new patients needing extra help with their scheduling.”
No matter your concern, there is an outpatient rehab expert ready to help you with virtually any condition.
Everyone knows that all patients are different. But there is one thing they have in common: uninterrupted time with their providers is invaluable. Renown’s OP Rehab team feels the same way. That precious time is key to helping patients progress towards their goals.
“As a physical therapist, I believe there is a specific way that therapy is meant to be practiced, which is one-on-one between the therapist and the patient; Renown gives its outpatient therapists the opportunity to treat patients in that manner and is one of the few places in town that does so,” said Nathan Taylor, Manager of Rehab Therapy Services.
“I am proud of our continuous support of those within the community that are in need of physical therapy," added Beverly Vermillion.
“As therapists, we ensure that our treatment plans are interesting and worthwhile; we always keep this top of mind,” added Matthew Potts. “And as an SLP specifically, it's always great to see a patient progress from tube feeding to a regular texture diet. If they can do something today that was impossible yesterday, it’s a good day.”
When you’re an OP Rehab patient, you’re family. Compassion is the name of their game, and their caring, People First mindset comes easily.
“We collectively care about every single patient that comes through this office,” said Rose Homma, Patient Access Representative at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – 2nd St. “I am most proud of upholding a full patient load.”
“You can't do speech therapy without compassion and putting people first,” added Josee Tousignant. “You meet families who are sometimes at their lowest points, and you have to be able to put yourselves in their shoes to build trust. Without compassion, it becomes much more difficult to build a common goal. There aren't many accomplishments bigger than being able to successfully help and support those patients that come to us.”
“Compassion is definitely our greatest strength here in outpatient rehab,” added Rori Parale. “Each and every day we are ready to show up for our patients, doing everything we can to provide for them and help them heal. And our productivity figures are out of this world! It just speaks to how hard everyone works to ensure a better community.”
That compassion they share with their patients also extends to their fellow coworkers, who all work effectively together to collaborate on each patient’s care plan. The result? More minds working towards healing.
“We have an amazing team where we can collaborate and bounce ideas off each other to allow us to give the best patient care,” said Kallee Oxborrow. “We also collaborate in our department between PT, OT and SLPs to maximize the patient care and be on the same page with all disciplines.”
“As a department, we all work well together and are comprised of clinicians who want to make a difference in the lives of our patients,” added Michelle Higgins. “We challenge one another to grow and keep learning.”
“I think PTs are especially good at encompassing Renown's values due to the nature of our work,” added Nick Steller. “Our longer treatment times really allow us to listen to the patient's needs with great quality and provide compassionate care. With our vast array of skilled providers, we are constantly sharing information and education with one another.”
This team’s skills go beyond emotional well-being – they are also widely knowledgeable, each holding a variety of advanced degrees and certifications so they can provide the highest standards of care.
“Our therapy team holds certifications in a wide range of specialties, which ensures patients can be scheduled with someone that will provide the highest quality of care but also allows for mentorship and collaboration between staff to be widely available,” said Jessica Ryder, Physical Therapist-Advanced at Renown Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation – Double R.
“As part of our continued improvement and growth, we have had the opportunity to see a couple new service areas come to our department recently,” added Nathan Taylor. “We are now able to see pediatric PT patients and are in the process of designing a dedicated pediatric area at our 2nd Street location. This space will also allow us to further expand our pediatric offerings to hopefully include pediatric OT as well. Additionally, we have recently begun offering women’s health/pelvic floor therapy and are expanding our ability to see additional lymphedema and oncology patients in both PT and OT. We are lucky to be able to offer so many therapy subspecialities that are needed in our community."
In OP Rehab, the health of the community comes first. And their pit stop on your road to recovery will always be a priority.
“I wanted to do something bigger in the community,” said Rori Parale. “I love that I am part of a team that truly cares about their patients’ health and wellbeing. We strive every day to get our patients back to living independently.”
What rehab therapist wouldn’t want to work in a department full of dynamic, multi-talented professionals, especially ones who care so deeply for you and every patient’s healthcare fight? Plus, with the opportunity to grow your career and embrace a benefits package that fits in with your era of life, what could be better?
If you’re looking for your next career adventure, you’re in luck – Renown's OP Rehab team is hiring!
“When I decided to get back into the outpatient setting, there were only a few places in Reno that I would have even considered, and Renown was at the very top of the list,” said Nathan Taylor. “What keeps me here is the amazing team of therapists, techs and PARs that our department has. They are all dedicated to their patients and each other, show respect for others and provide the best care that anyone could hope for. It is a blessing to be a part of this team.”
“I initially chose to work for Renown because of the competitive benefit package and the patient forward approach prioritizing one on one visits, but it is the relationships that I have developed with my colleagues that keep me here,” added Jessica Ryder.
If your passion is working with unique and specific patient populations, a career in outpatient rehab at Renown gives you the opportunity to do exactly that. And your leadership team will support you at every juncture in whatever your specialty is.
“I chose to work for Renown because of the opportunity to work with complex pelvic surgery and oncology patients,” said Jennifer Cross. “The establishment of a specialty clinical ladder made this possible, and the growth of new programs keeps me here.”
“We have an amazing leadership team who fights for us as individuals and provides excellent support to all of us,” added Kallee Oxborrow.
Admiration for working with this team has extended to patients as well. In fact, some OP Rehab employees were patients themselves, inspired to give back to the team that gave so much to them.
“I was a patient at Renown Outpatient Rehab and had such a good experience that I came to work here,” said Rose Homma.
So, who would thrive in our outpatient rehab therapy department? Hear it from those very team members themselves:
Now is the time to make the leap. Apply today at renown.org/careers and leave your impact on our community, one step at a time.
“I work with an incredible group of professionals. It is satisfying to know that we are making a true impact in our community,” closes Jessica Ryder.
