McALLEN — DHR Health celebrated the grand opening of their Neuro-Therapy Institute, a new outpatient rehabilitation facility that is part of the hospital system’s efforts to expand outpatient centers throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
Hospital and local government officials attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday for the facility which offers compassionate care for patients affected by strokes, brain injuries, concussions, Post-Intense Care Syndrome, spinal-cord injuries, limb loss, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, vestibular and balance disorders, speech and swallowing deficits and other conditions.
DHR Health first unveiled the facility in January at which point they touted their specialty-trained therapists who work with patients “to help them regain mobility, confidence, and independence,” according to a news release issued at the time.
During Thursday’s ribbon-cutting, Dr. Saroja Viswamitra, medical director of DHR Health Rehabilitation Services, praised their therapists and their work with patients who were recovering from COVID-19.
“My therapists have been trained and serve the people who have had COVID and post-COVID syndrome also and they have done remarkably well,” Viswamitra said.
She added that DHR Health strived to provide care for everyone in the Rio Grande Valley, from Brownsville to Rio Grande City.
Nathan Saffels, the executive director for their outpatient rehabilitation centers, noted that DHR Health now has eight specialized outpatient service locations.
“As we continue to grow and expand our services throughout the Rio Grande Valley, our goal has been to ensure that the residents in all of our communities have convenient access to the highest quality of rehabilitation services available,” Saffels said.
He added they plan to increase the reach of their services by opening two new facilities next month — one in Starr County and the other in Cameron County.
“With all of these developments, we’re excited to now be able to announce that for the residents in our communities, there is no longer a need for anyone to seek specialized rehabilitation services outside of the Rio Grande Valley,” Saffels said, “and that is a major accomplishment for everyone across the Valley.”
