Nov. 18, 2014 | Nov. 18, 2014 | The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) celebrated the recent opening of a comprehensive rehabilitation clinic on its northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville, improving access to physical, occupational and speech rehabilitation services.

The UAMS Northwest Outpatient Therapy Clinic hosted a Nov. 17 open house in its 2,735-square-foot clinic that features a staff of experienced therapists and top-of-line therapeutic devices. The equipment includes an experimental Assisted Movement with Enhanced Sensation (AMES) Device — one of only five such devices in the nation — for helping patients regain mobility or use of a paralyzed limb by enhancing sensory or motor connections.

Now accepting appointments, the clinic can treat older patients, veterans, athletes, those with chronic conditions or patients recovering from injuries affecting mobility or speech. The clinic’s goal is to provide effective, evidence-based outpatient therapy for patients with a variety of diagnoses, including functional deficits due to neurological disease, neck and back pain, injury or amputations.

The clinic also will serve as an educational host for the coming UAMS physical therapy doctoral degree program, which will welcome its first students in fall 2015. At the rehab clinic, the students will gain therapy experience with patients while under supervision of the clinic staff. The program, in the College of Health Professions, is the first UAMS program to be located solely at UAMS Northwest.

“As with our other programs at UAMS Northwest, this clinic reflects a health care need in this region — in this case improved access to comprehensive rehabilitation therapy,” said Peter Kohler, M.D., vice chancellor for UAMS Northwest. “As we educate and train physicians, nurses, pharmacists and soon physical therapists, our programs — and resources such as this clinic — can improve access to care for our patients, extending health and improving the quality of life in northwest Arkansas.”

Kohler added that the new clinic will compliment a sports medicine residency planned for the campus.

The experienced clinic staff includes:

• John Jefferson, Ph.D., chair and associate professor for the Department of Physical Therapy in the UAMS College of Health Professions
• Nathan Jowers, M.P.T., clinic director
• Angel Holland, M.P.T, director of physical therapy clinical education
• Kandy Salter, M.S., an occupational therapist
• Jamie Pulliza, M.A., a speech-language pathologist

“Our therapy professionals stay up-to-date on evidence-based practice and current research to we can offer our patients the most effective treatment, regardless of age or physical condition,” Jefferson said. “This clinic also offers a perfect clinical component for our physical therapy program, ensuring our students see the broadest range of patients, observing and participating in treatment managed by our professional staff.”

Clinic patients will have access to a range of therapeutic devices, including the:

• Alter G Anti-Gravity Treadmill — Allows patients to practice walking and running with fully weight bearing
• Balance Master System — Allows detailed assessment of balance and posture control in patients
• Assisted Movement with Enhanced Sensation (AMES) Device — Enhances sensory output and motor output connections in the brain for patients recovering from stroke or other neurological impairments

The UAMS Outpatient Therapy Clinic is on the UAMS Northwest campus, 1125 N. College Ave., in Fayetteville. For appointments, call (479) 713-8630.