Beebe Healthcare is opening a new center for physical therapy in Rehoboth.
Beebe is renting retail space in Lighthouse Plaza off Route 1 that previously housed a QVC outlet store.
In addition to physical therapy, the new location will offer speech language pathology and a list of sub-services like lymphedema management, cupping and dry needling.
Beebe’s executive director of Orthopaedic Service Dr. Joe DeRanieri says dry needling is often an effective alternative to opioid prescriptions for chronic pain management.
“Particularly for lower back patients. They tend to be on more medications for longer periods of time” said DeRanieri. “So anything that can help them strengthen their back and then add the adjunct of dry needling which will decrease the pain response has been shown to be beneficial in decreasing opioid use.”
A quarter of the new 10,000 square foot facility is not being used. DeRanieri says he expects the existing programs to grow into that space and for Beebe to hire more staff.
Beebe is adding a pediatric physical therapy line as well.
“We’re starting to see more families,” said DeRanieri. “So that was a big move for us to identify the fact that pediatric physical therapy was not being addressed. We’ve had adult care for a very long time but we’ve not been able to treat kids and we now have the opportunity.”
The new location also has private exam rooms which are not traditionally offered in a physical therapy setting.
