Picture of therapist with a patient in a therpay session

Occupational Therapy at Lavaca Medical Center

Lavaca Medial Center offers Occupational Therapy services in both the outpatient and inpatient settings.

Outpatient Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists are trained medical professionals who treat individuals who have injuries or health-related problems that limit their ability to move or perform their daily tasks, including:

bathing
getting dressed
reaching overhead
doing buttons
grocery shopping
opening a package and jar
preparing food
lifting
grooming

As an outpatient you will be evaluated for a comprehensive review of your history, injury, diagnosis, and symptoms and a treatment plan will be developed specifically for you. Common diagnoses and areas of treatment are:

Joint Fractures
Arthritis Pain
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Tennis Elbow
Numbness and tingling in the arms/hands
Difficulty performing daily activities affected by balance
Customized splinting for improving performance of daily tasks
Lymphedema Therapy evaluations for chronic swelling
Stroke with difficulty using their affected limb
Parkinsons Disease

Our therapy team develops a treatment plan for each individual consisting of therapeutic and functional exercises, modalities, trigger point and myofascial massaging, kinesio tapping, custom splinting, manual therapy, and compression wrapping. The overall goal is to improve function through:

Increasing the joint range of motion
Increasing muscular strength and endurance
Improving flexibility and joint stability around a joint to provide better balance and posture

Functional Capacity Evaluation

A Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) evaluates an individual's capacity to perform work activities related to his or her participation in employment. A FCE is a battery of standardized assessments that offers results in performance based measures to help predict individuals to perform the physical demands of a job. (Kuijer et al., 2011; Soer et al., 2008)

Functional Capacity Evaluator:

Cori Faichtinger BS, MOT, OTR

LMC Outpatient Therapy Services

Phone: (361)798-9006 | (361)798-9015

Who can benefit from a FCE?

Someone who has sustained a work related injury
Someone applying for Social Security Disability Benefits
Someone wanting to return to work.
Someone injured in a catastrophic accident (car accident) and needs determination of performance skills and abilities to resume     employment or a new job.

Components of an FCE:

Client interview
Medical record review
Musculoskeletal screening
Functional testing
Simulated specific job functions

How long are FCE's?

FCE's can range from 2-4 hours, and are performed on a one-on-one basis.

Who pays for an FCE?

Worker's Compensation insurance will pay for the exam, however, you are required to receive pre-authorization. For any and all other payor sources, please contact our office to check your insurance benefits.

Who can refer for a FCE?

Physicians
Physician Assistants
Nurse Practitioners
Case Managers
Employers
Human Resources Personnel
Attorneys
Chiropractors

What to do prior to scheduling a FCE:

Contact our office for a date and time to schedule your FCE.
On the day of your FCE, bring a list of job requirements and job demands if you are needing a Return to Work FCE.
A current list of medications is required to perform a FCE.
Contact our office if you need to cancel or re-schedule your FCE.
Once a FCE is completed, a 72-hour period will be required for exam report completion.

Where Can I Do My Exercises and Treatments?

As a patient at Lavaca Medical Center, your therapist has access to several areas in the facility to treat your diagnosis. We have the LMC outpatient therapy clinic, the aquatic pool, and the LMC Health and Wellness Center. All of these areas can be incorporated into your treatment program to give you maximum benefit in your rehabilitation.

Do I Have Access to the Gym?

All of the patient that complete their rehab program receive 30 days free access to the Lavaca Health and Wellness Center. You will have access to the LMC gym, instructed classes, and our pool. Your therapists will design a program for you in all of these different areas so that you can maintain your rehabilitation gains upon discharge.

Come by for a tour of our therapy facility and talk to one of our therapists to find out if occupational therapy is right for you.

(361) 798-9006 | Lavaca Medical Center | 1400 North Texana | Hallettsville, TX 77964

Inpatient Occupational Therapy

Lavaca Medical Center also offers occupational therapy services while you are an inpatient. In collaboration with your doctor and medical staff, occupational therapy can play an important role in your recovery. If your doctor orders occupational therapy during your inpatient stay, an evaluation will be completed by an occupational therapist to assess your function prior to discharge from the hospital. With your therapy team you will have a personalized treatment program based on recovery goals specific to you.

Your treatment may include:

exercise
balance training
patient education
training on adaptive equipment to improve function

The therapy gym will be utilized to better serve your cardiovascular and pulmonary needs on the necessary equipment to prepare your body for the discharge home.

Admissions Into The Hospital:

Acute Inpatient Care
Swing Bed Program

A Medicare program providing skilled care to patients needing additional recovery time
A key program to strengthen and foster relationships between critical access hospitals and larger tertiary facilities
A skilled care option for patients at the local/community level - close to home and near loved ones
The step between Acute Care and Home

Contact Gayle Willett, RN, CCM Case Manager for questions and referrals for our Swing Bed Program at(361) 798-6671.