OrthoSport Physical Therapy

Many things have changed over the last few months, but some health events like strokes or heart attacks still require immediate and expert attention. At Wellstar, we are committed and ready to care for you. Our Emergency Departments are open and have extra precautions in place to keep you safe while getting the care you need the most. If you experience any kind of emergency, don't wait. Call 911 right away. bit.ly/WellstarCall911

As we celebrate National Healthcare Week this year, we want to honor the heroes who are serving our community 24/7, from COVID-19 cases to expert cancer and heart care, from surgical care to our urgent care facilities. At Wellstar, we never stop, and we are ready to serve everyone who needs care at any time. Our incredible professionals display skill, dedication and the willingness to serve every person as an individual. Because for us it's more than healthcare. It's PeopleCare.

Emergencies don't wait - even during a pandemic. At Wellstar, you can rest assured you'll receive safe emergency and trauma care should you need it. We have extra safety precautions in place in each one of our Emergency Departments so you can get the care you need. If you experience symptoms of a heart attack or stroke or any other kind of emergency, don't wait. Call 911 right away. bit.ly/WellstarCall911 bit.ly/WellstarSafeCare

It’s important to get the healthcare you need, even during a pandemic. Wellstar is open and ready to care for Georgia for everything from primary care, specialty and diagnostic services, to emergency surgery and trauma care. Learn more about the steps we are taking to ensure your safety at bit.ly/WellstarSafeCare.

During this COVID-19 pandemic, our senior loved ones face challenges. Even under normal circumstances, older adults may experience loneliness and depression. But with the disruption of everyday activities due to COVID-19, the senior population can feel even more isolated.

Check out Wellstar's guide to caring for older adults that includes tips to improve the mental health of your loved one.

OrthoSport Physical Therapy

Have you been looking for ways to help healthcare workers? Wellstar encourages our communities to donate to the fight against COVID-19, and we have developed some great ways for you to give. Visit https://bit.ly/3a7vcpi to find out how you can help.

Feeling sick and concerned? To help people throughout our communities assess whether they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, we’ve added a Coronavirus Virtual Assessment screening tool to our website, wellstar.org, to help you get the care you need. The Virtual Assessment comes with tips for where to get the right care and other helpful resources from the CDC.

Patients and community members,

Because the health and safety of our patients, team members and communities is our top priority, Wellstar Health System has enhanced our visitation policies to offer the highest protection to those we treat. Please keep in mind that these restrictions are temporary and designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our medical facilities and communities.

• Social visitation is suspended until further notice. Consider alternative methods of communication (i.e. telephone, FaceTime, Skype).
• Children under the age of 18 will not be allowed to visit.
• Only in extenuating circumstances will visitors be allowed and will be limited to one immediate family member or designated care partner.
• Laboring and post-partum women can designate one person for support. If the support person is under 18 years of age an exception may be made.
• Pediatric patients are allowed a maximum of two parents or designated caregivers.
• Special consideration will be given for patients with critical needs (e.g. end of life).
• No visitors are allowed for people under investigation (PUI) or positive for COVID-19; Visitors with extenuating circumstances will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• Visitors will not be able to enter our administrative buildings. Exceptions for vendors essential to clinical care, and suppliers.
• All allowed visitors will undergo the screening process (see below).
• All facilities reserve the right to ask any visitors meeting the above requirements to remain outside of treatment areas.

Screening Process for “Permitted” Visitors:
Out of an abundance of caution and in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• We have implemented a protocol to restrict entrances and screen all visitors (see visitor restrictions above) at all Wellstar hospitals, health parks, urgent care centers, ambulatory practices, and long-term care facilities.
• All visitors will be screened for their temperature, review of symptoms and travel history. If health screening results are negative, only visitors who have been deemed allowed according to visitor restrictions may enter the facility.
• All visitors with a positive health screening or travel history (note above) will be denied entrance, to protect our patients and staff.
• This process is temporary and is designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 in order to protect our patients and team members during this flu season.

Out of an abundance of caution for current concerns about COVID-19, Wellstar has assembled a team of infectious disease and infection prevention specialists from across Wellstar Health System who communicate daily to stay up to date on the latest developments and prepare for patient care.

All of our Wellstar facilities are open and operating under normal business hours.

Additionally, for the health and safety of our patients/team members, and following CDC guidelines, Wellstar has begun screening visitors at all of our locations for symptoms related to COVID-19, effective immediately.

Visitors should expect to have their temperature taken, have any potential symptoms reviewed, and will be asked about their travel history. Visitors who do not pass the screening will be requested to refrain from visiting patients until they have been self-quarantined for 14 days or all symptoms have been resolved. No visitors will be allowed for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who have recently traveled from regions with widespread community spread of the disease. This process is temporary and is designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

Although there is still a very low risk for people to contract the virus, Wellstar is well-prepared to meet the healthcare needs of the communities we serve.

Courtney Garcia, MPT, has always been there for young patients during her 15-year career as a physical therapist. She has helped countless patients, ranging from newborns to 21-year-olds, overcome obstacles and rise to their full potential. “Seeing the joy in both a patient mastering something new and the excitement in the parent’s face is a true heart warmer,” she says.

One of those patients, Chloe, has received treatment from Courtney for over a year and a half. “Chloe has had many setbacks and continues to come back strong each time,” Courtney says about her time with Chloe. “Her progression is truly remarkable. She is a medical miracle and I feel extremely fortunate to work with her.”

OrthoSport recognizes National Pet Therapy Day!

Congratulations to Jason Kelsey who was recently promoted to VP of Rehab Services and Sports Medicine for WellStar Health Systems.

Congratulations to WellStar’s newest Leadership Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) graduates, AJ Brooks, AVP WellStar Medical Group Surgery Division, and Jason Kelsey, Vice President Rehab Services and Sport Medicine. AJ and Jason were recognized this weekend at the GHA Trustee conference along with their Leadership GHA 2019 class mates. At WellStar, we are proud to invest in the growth and development of our physicians, leaders and team members. Another reason why WellStar is nationally recognized as an Employer of Choice!

Thank you to the City of Woodstock for hosting the annual Scarecrow Invasion. OrthoSport Woodstock is celebrating it's 7th place win. We look forward to participating again next year!

Even when Amy Farthing, PT, DPT, was a research chemist, her heart always belonged to fitness and sports. She moonlighted as a personal trainer until deciding that she didn’t just want to train others to be fit, but wanted to truly fix what was causing her clients pain. Amy left the lab coat behind and went back to school for physical therapy, and is now one of our awesome physical therapists at WellStar Vinings Health Park!

Success Story Monday

Spotlight on Scott McInturff, PT, DPT, MA, SCS, ATC.
Scott graduated from Belmont University with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. He is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy. He also is Certified in Selective functional Movement Assessment/Functional Movement screen, Dry Needling and Fascial Movement Taping. He is an APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor. He is a Certified athletic Trainer, and has advanced training in Instrument assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization and Myofascial Decompression. Scott is the Clinical Supervisor for the OrthoSport WellStar Orthopaedic Pediatric Center. His specialties include orthopaedic and sports related injuries, functional movement and motion capture analysis related to injury and sports, injury prevention and return to sports preparedness, and manual therapy. Scott has a patient/family centered treatment philosophy and an integrated approach in treating patients and athletes of all levels in order to improve their functional limitations and return them to a healthier lifelong experience of wellness
Location:
Pediatric Therapy Center
1180 Ernest Barrett Pkwy
Suite 102C
Kennesaw, Georgia 30144
P: 678-797-5734
F: 770-794-6632

Spotlight on Amy Gross, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS. She has recently been re-certified as board certified in Orthopedics. Amy is the clinic supervisor at our Acworth Health Park location.
Amy is Certified in Dry Needling, Function Movement Screen and is a Orthopaedic Specialists and Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She has gained experience in outpatient orthopedics, orthopedic home care, and
post-op TKA|THA. Amy’s philosophy on patient care is “outcomes are a shared responsibility of the physical therapist and patient. Treatments are patient centered and utilize a unique combination of treatment approaches specific to each patients needs.” Amy enjoys up-cycling furniture, hiking and being a Zumba instructor. She is married with two children.

WellStar Pediatric Center is celebrating 4 years this month! Here, kids anywhere from newborns to age 21 receive care made and adapted just for them. We're proud to serve our tiniest patients and local community.

Spotlight on Alexandre Millette PT, DPT, OCS.
Alex at our Cobb Ortho location is now a board certified OCS Therapist.
Experience:
• Acute & Outpatient Orthopedics
• Orthopedic/Trauma Unit
• Outpatient Neurology: Vestibular & Balance
• Geriatrics & Sports Rehab
Education:
University of Florida, 2016
Doctor of Physcial Therapy
Special Certification:
Orthopedic Residency Trained
Specialties:
Orthopedics, manual therapy,
strength and conditioning

Happy 4th of July from all of us at OrthoSport! 🇺🇸

Spotlight on Taylor Kavkewitz, MS, CCC-SLP.
She is WellStar's first and only Pediatric Speech Therapist. OrthoSport is very honored to have her with us at our Pediatric Center on Barrett Parkway.
A little information about her below:
Education:
University of Calgary | Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
University of Tennessee | Master of Science, Speech-
Language Pathology (SLP), with concentration in aural
rehabilitation
Additional training at Shepherd Center Brain Injury
Rehabilitation Center
Special Interests:
Early Intervention, 0-3
Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Specialties:
• Hearing loss, auditory processing disorder
• Executive functioning skills and cognitive linguistic
therapy
• Receptive and expressive language delays, 1-4
• Social communication disorder
• Autism spectrum disorder, 4-18
• Late talkers (early intervention), 1-4
• Articulation disorders

We’re excited to announce the groundbreaking for WellStar Avalon Health Park. The state-of-the-art, two-story, 40,000 square foot facility will provide Alpharetta and North Fulton residents with high-quality outpatient services close to home.

Scheduled to be completed in summer 2019, the health park will include primary care and specialty physician practices, urgent care, medical imaging, cardiac diagnostics, lab outreach services and OrthoSport physical therapy. Patients will have access to various medical specialties under one roof, including family medicine, OB/GYN, pulmonary, cardiology and pediatrics.

WellStar Avalon Health Park will be located at 2450 Old Milton Parkway Alpharetta, GA 30009.

Scott McInturff, PT at our Pediatric Physical Therapy clinic was recognized at a recent staff meeting for going above and beyond.

We had a wonderful day at the Senior Extravaganza in Woodstock on Saturday morning!

Congratulations North Fulton team!

Patients in North Fulton now have another option when it comes to rehabilitation close to home. WellStar North Fulton Hospital Neuro Rehab opened its doors this week! Treatments offered include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and swallowing therapy and Parkinson’s treatment among others.