Allied opens new outpatient therapy clinic in Dunmore
BUTCH COMEGYS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Runner Tim Ramagli, 35, of Forty Fort, works out Tuesday as his physical therapist, Ashley Reedy, looks on. Mrs. Reedy is the manager of the new Allied Services Rehab Center on South Blakely Street in Dunmore.
Runner Tim Ramagli, 35, of Forty Fort, stretches at the new Allied Services Rehab Center on South Blakely Street in Dunmore on Tuesday. Butch Comegys / Staff Photographer Story by O’Connell
DUNMORE — Allied Services opened its first new outpatient therapy clinic in more than 10 years.
The nonprofit intends for the new clinic on South Blakely Street to bring therapists closer to their patients.
The Dunmore Rehab Center, which opened Aug. 15, is the system’s 14th outpatient therapy clinic.
“What we hope to accomplish is to bring Allied’s known rehab expertise to the Dunmore area,” said clinic manager and physical therapist Ashley Reedy.
In addition to the new clinic, Allied invested into other area clinics. Earlier this year, the Taylor Rehab Center moved to a newer facility at 140 S. Main St., Taylor, and the Forty Fort Rehab Center moved to a new location on Wyoming Avenue, Kingston.
Including the Dickson City clinic renovation last year, Allied has invested more than $1 million in capital improvements, said Chief Analytics Officer Robert Cole, Ph.D.
After noting a large portion of its patients lived in Dunmore, Allied settled on a 3,500-square-foot location near the intersection of Green Ridge and South Blakely streets. Dr. Cole estimated the Dunmore clinic cost between $400,000 and $500,000, including state-of-the art equipment like weight machines and stationary bikes.
As health care pushes more resources toward preventing rather than reacting, rehab clinics will assume a larger role in helping people avoid injuries before little problems turn into hospital visits.
That’s what Tim Ramagli is trying to do.
On a quiet Tuesday evening, while rush hour traffic dwindled outside, the 35-year-old from Forty Fort carefully worked through a repertoire of exercises to strengthen muscles in his legs.
While he warmed up on a stationary bike, Mrs. Reedy sat close by tapping away at a laptop computer. The later hours and location, nearer to his Moosic workplace, were more fitting for the mechanic who is training for WNEP-TV’s Ryan’s Run at the TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 6.
While training, he noticed unusual tension in his legs and would wake up in the morning in a lot of pain. He decided to try physical therapy.
Coincidentally, the race raises money for Allied. Mr. Ramagli’s employer, Jack Williams Tire, sponsors the run.
He joined the team for his 3-year-old son, Joey, who was born with a rare disorder called CHARGE syndrome that limits his mobility and other development. Joey also has been an Allied patient for the last two years.
“This is my first marathon,” Mr. Ramagli said, looking slightly anxious.
After he climbed off the bike, Mrs. Reedy instructed him to walk back and forth on his heels with his arms outstretched for balance.
New standards in medical care encourage patients to recover and rehabilitate at home rather than in an institutional setting, like a hospital, Dr. Cole said at a clinic grand opening event Wednesday.
“Health care reform is really trying to take care of patients’ needs in a more efficient manner,” he said.
With that in mind, Allied wants to add to the Dunmore clinic’s three-person staff as soon as possible. And if it all works, Allied might not wait another decade to open a new clinic.
“What we hope to do is prove the success of this site and explore others,” he said.
Contact the writer: joconnell@timesshamrock.com, @jon_oc on Twitter
