VALDOSTA — Smith Northview Hospital has made many additions and changes in the last year in an effort to continually improve service for patients. The rapidly growing facility’s newest updates include the addition of a therapy clinic and an intensive care unit. Both provide specialty services for patients in important areas of care for an emerging hospital to provide.

While Smith Northview has offered physical therapy services before, much time has passed since both outpatients and inpatients were served. Administrators decided that it was time to reestablish the therapy center so they searched for the brightest, most qualified therapists in the area.

They found six people from two established practices, Center for Physical Rehabilitation and Tri-State Therapy, to create Smith Northview Rehab. The new in- and outpatient unit provides a comprehensive array of physical, occupational and speech therapy treatments, as well as additional specialties relating to therapy.

Physical therapists specialize in orthopedic injuries off the whole body, offering a full program in back and neck rehabilitation; they are experts in movement and function, focusing not only on treating injuries, but also preventing them. The physical therapy team is comprised of Joey Broadwater, PT, CHT; Eric Sutherland, PT, COMT, CSCS; and Emily Metts Wade, PT, all from the Center for Physical Rehabilitation.

Broadwater established the Center three years ago and has treated a vast array of patients throughout her 25 year career. She has concentrated her efforts in the specialized treatment of manual therapies, especially beneficial for spine patients, sports injuries and total joint replacements. She is also a board certified hand therapist since 2000, a designation that requires extensive accomplishment and concentrates on the treatment of shoulders, wrists and hand injuries. Additional specialties are women’s services, industrial rehab and ergonomics analysis. Ergonomics is the applied science of equipment design for the workplace intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort.

Sutherland is a Canadian-trained therapist that is one of only six that are board certified in Orthopedic Manual Therapy in the state of Georgia. Therapist with the Center for five years, he is responsible for bringing Fit for Golf, a collections of exercises, training principles and specialized treatment techniques or golf injuries, to this area. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist, and he volunteers his services to Valdosta High School’s athletics programs. Another area of interest for Sutherland is foot and ankle injuries. He analyzes and treats impairments as well as evaluating and fitting individuals with customized foot orthotics.

Broadwater and Sutherland are about to complete doctoral programs with Des Moines University.

Wade, a native Valdostan, is a therapist who has developed an interest in a relatively new discipline in physical therapy, women’s health. She is progressing toward becoming certified in this field, which includes treatment of incontinence, pelvic pain, post-surgical treatment and pregnancy. She will be starting the doctoral program in January.

The occupational therapy division provides services in hand therapy and treatment of injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, DeQuervain’s syndrome, fractures, tendon or nerve injuries and burns. It will offer complex static and dynamic splinting. Chris Sandoval, OT, and Frank George, OT, both from Tri-State, make up the occupational therapy team.

Sandoval attended Georgia Southern University and the Medical College of Georgia. He has practiced for seven years with an emphasis on orthopedic rehabilitation. He specializes in hand therapy and is skilled in the fabrication of complex and dynamic splints. He is also experienced in pediatric and general neurological rehabilitation such as CVA’s and traumatic brain injuries and is a certified lymphedema therapist, treating all types off lymphedema including post-mastectomy.

George is a graduate of Valdosta State University with a degree in psychology and of the Medical College of Georgia with a degree in occupational therapy. He has practiced for 19 years and specializes in pediatrics. He is also skilled in geriatric rehabilitation, neurological rehabilitation, general orthopedics and is NDT certified for the advanced treatment of complex neuro-developmental diagnoses.

The speech therapy division asses, diagnoses, treats and helps to prevent speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice and other related disorders. Hanna Peek, speech therapist, is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a Masters in Speech and Language Pathology. She can also provide vital stem treatment to all ages with swallowing difficulties.

It is the individual specialties off each physical therapist and the ability to provide comprehensive treatment that sets rehab at Smith Northview apart. From women’s services to neurological disorders to swallowing difficulties, this center can treat patients both through both in- and outpatient services. Serious cases can be followed from post-surgery throughout the outpatient treatment with the same, highly trained therapist, which has been proven to benefit patients in the healing process.

“We are happy to partner with such wonderful therapy groups based in this community. This is the next step in becoming a total joint center,” said Chuck Roberts, assistant administrator of support services and director of business development and community relations. “Smith Northview is growing so fast that having this level of therapy will only benefit patients.”

Establishing an intensive care unit is another way the growing hospital is providing better care for patients. The remodeled area offers four critical care rooms and three intermediate care beds — all with state-of-the-art equipment. Patients are monitored every minute of every day by a full staff, specially trained in critical care, with more than 20 years of experience.