MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Medicine is celebrating Occupational Therapy (OT) Month, annually observed during the month of April, a little more than a month before the opening of the Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at its University Town Centre Outpatient Clinic.  

OT is a crucial part of the rehabilitation process for pediatric to geriatric patients and is often a part of care for inpatients at WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital and WVU Medicine Children’s. Though often done in conjunction with physical therapy, OT is a separate discipline. 

One goal of OT Month is to increase awareness of the vital role occupational therapists play in patient care. 

“Everyone deserves the best quality of life achievable, and being able to complete everyday tasks is a part of this,” Mike Fechik, O.T.R./L.S.W., manager of Rehabilitation Services at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital and WVU Medicine Children’s, said. “It is easy to take these tasks for granted that we engage in every day and not consider the affect an inability to complete. Occupational therapists dedicate each day to helping individuals improve their self-care, productivity, leisure skills, and regaining their functional independence.”

Patients in the hospital setting receive individualized therapies to help them prepare for life outside the hospital walls. This can include practicing self-care skills in the patient’s room or a trip to the therapy gym, which is equipped with kitchen, bathroom, and other replicated environments.

Soon, outpatient OT services will be available for patients to continue working on life skills after discharge at the new Outpatient Rehabilitation Center.

“A milestone in rehabilitation care in Morgantown will soon become a reality as WVU Medicine opens its new Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at University Town Center,” Bruce L. McKee, M.S., C.C.C./S.L.P., director of Rehabilitation Services, said. 

“The continuum of care will now be complete with Occupational Therapy, as well as Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy services available for comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation services. In addition, specialized occupational therapy treatments will be provided by a lymphedema specialist to meet those with unique patient needs. This clinic will fill a void across the adolescent and adult span of care.” 

The new facility is slated to open on June 3.

For more information on the WVU Medicine outpatient facility at University Town Center, visit WVUMedicine.org/UTC.