Archive
Potomac Valley therapist knows his function
KEYSER — Physical therapy is available at the Potomac Valley Hospital without a physician’s referral but insurance companies sometimes balk at paying without a referral.
Steve Felton, the hospital physical therapist, talked about the issue during a program on his profession and the services available locally to the Keyser Rotary Club on Thursday.
He was introduced by hospital administrator and Rotarian Mike Makosky, who also said Felton currently is working on his doctorate in physical therapy.
Felton said the biggest word in physical therapy is function and the goal of therapy is to increase function after a patient has lost it because of an injury or illness.
“Function is a big deal in health care,” he said, noting the settings in which he performs his treatments can be in the hospital for both outpatients and inpatients, home health care and even hospice.
His said he works mostly with outpatients at the physical therapy center that is located on the campus of the new hospital being constructed on Pin Oak Lane, south of Keyser.
Felton said in an age where the trend is in specialization, physical therapists are most often generalists because of the diversity of their patients, and that requires extensive training.
Most, he said, have master’s degrees and many are working toward doctorates.
He also talked about the history of the profession, pointing out that physical therapy grew significantly during World War I and II when “restorative aid” became a branch of nursing in which wounded soldiers were treated.
“It dwindled after the world wars until polio struck and that revitalized the profession,” he said.
After that Felton said the relevancy of the profession began to grow until 1997 when closer review of billing showed there were treatments being billed way beyond their cost. He said with closer scrutiny, physical therapy again bounced back.
“It was a lesson learned,” he said.
Felton said he is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, which defines its practitioners as “practicing the science of healing and the art of caring.”
He said he tries to take the time to listen to his patients and to help if he sees someone who is obviously uncomfortable.
He said he targets vision, performance and results in his practice — the vision the patient has for what he wants to do, performing with objective measurements through training and treatments and the results to reach the vision.
Felton said back pain is the most common complaint he hears, about 60 to 65 percent of new patients come in for it. He said a lack of exercise, a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight are contributing factors to back pain.
The physical therapy center is staffed by Felton, an assistant and a secretary/aide.
Rotarian Jennings Stickley noted there are now wellness centers in both Hampshire and Hardy counties and asked if there is any interest in partnering with someone in Mineral County to establish a similar center or program with the hospital.
Makosky said he would like to see some information on a potential program because the hospital might be interested.
Contact Mona Ridder at mridder@times-news.com.
