New physical therapy center offers state-of-the-art care

After dealing with cramped quarters at Desert View Hospital, outpatients who require physical therapy will have more room to stretch their legs with their new off-site facility.

Located at 1500 E. Highway 372, Suite F, Desert View Hospital Physical Therapy opened in February, and offers state-of-the-art equipment, in a 2,800-square foot facility, seven times the space of the on-site hospital physical therapy area.

With the increased space, the focus remains the same; the highest personalized care to ensure each patient receives the maximum attention their recovery deserves.

“Our motto is individualized care,” doctor of physical therapy Chris Whitt, said. “The hospital is committed to quality care.”

No matter what the situation is Whitt said that they are ready and able to treat about anyone who walks through the door.

“We have equipment to see everything from neuro patients, people that have had strokes, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injuries from car accidents, orthopedics for anybody that’s had surgery,” Whitt said. “There’s really nobody we can’t see. Two to 102 is what I like to say.”

The volume of patients that can be seen each day has increased from 10 to 12 patients at the 400-square foot facility at the hospital, to 50 to 60 patients at the new clinic. Now the space at the hospital can be used solely for inpatient care, which its area can sufficiently carry out.

The patients can utilize the six weight machines, four cardio machines, a stretching cage and a state-of-the-art traction table among other pieces of equipment at the new clinic.

Although the physical therapy center sees all types of injuries there is one specific injury that Whitt said they see more often.

“Seen a lot of low backs,” he said. “Low backs are very complicated, because a lot of times people have had multiple surgeries, some haven’t.” Treating a back is fairly simple, you try to restore as much motion as you can.”

In addition to an abundance of lower back pain patients, the clinic is seeing a lot of elderly people for geriatric care.

Wendy Hirschi, physical therapy assistant at the clinic, said that teaching the older people of the town exercises and stretching techniques can help prevent them from simple injuries, all the way up to major injuries requiring surgery.

There are no immediate plans for future additions, but adding an occupational therapist and a speech therapist are possibilities going forward.

“We (the hospital) believe very strongly in listening to what people in our town have to say and responding to those needs,” said Meagan Kowalski, director of marketing for hospital. “This therapy clinic is a result of that, because there was a need for more physical therapy options in Pahrump so we have this. We continue to expand services inch by inch.”

Desert View Hospital Physical Therapy can be reached at 775-413-6905, and a doctor’s referral is needed to set up a physical therapy session with the clinic.