united community Mason Health unveils new home for Rehabilitation Services

M ason Health’s Rehabilitation Services Department has helped Arlene Hutchins regain mobility and function at two critical points in her life. She had previously had physical therapy for knee surgery and balance years ago, then earlier this year, she visited Rehabilitation Services for neck issues. Her experience this year has been markedly different than in years past.

At more than 7,000 square feet, the new space more than doubles the rooms that Rehabilitation Services occupied at Mason General Hospital. Plans to move into the newly remodeled space had been delayed two years because of COVID-19 impacts.

“We are so excited to have more space,” said Rehabilitation Services Director Cheryl Woods. “We have been waiting a long time for this. This represents a huge benefit to patients.”

“For one, having pediatric patients separated from adult and geriatric patients in the waiting area and in the therapy rooms improves safety,” Woods said.

The new space features many benefits for patients, including a larger waiting room area, with space for both pediatric and adult patients; more aerobic equipment for adults, which reduces wait times for patients; three private physical therapy evaluation rooms, instead of curtained-off areas; and new special equipment to treat patients with vertigo.

“The best thing they ever did was move out of that old location,” said Hutchins, who also worked for Mason Health for 50 years, retiring in Dec. 2021 as a Monitor Tech in the Intensive Care Unit.

For pediatric patients, there are multiple rooms for therapy, as well as a sensory gym separate from pediatric treatment space, which allows for more flexibility in scheduling and treating pediatric patients.

In November 2022, Mason Health’s Rehabilitation Services Department moved from the basement of Mason General Hospital to a new, expanded location to continue helping patients of all ages achieve their movement goals.

Mason Health’s physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists and other Rehabilitation Services staff started to see patients that month, at 939 Mountain View Drive, Suite 100, in the newly named Cedar Building.

The space is the former home of Shelton Family Medicine and faces the Mason General Hospital Emergency Department Parking Lot. A ribbon cutting for department staff was held on Dec. 13.

June 2023, Vol. 39, No. 2

On the cover: Rehabilitation Services employees stand outside of their new location, the Cedar Building, during the site’s grand opening celebration last December. Standing, from left: Rehab Aide Cynthia Morrow; Physical Therapist Larry Messenger, PT, MPT; Office Assistant Jo Anna Rasmussen; Rehab Aide Robin Boerner; Physical Therapy Assistants Kyle Hoggard and Diana Franckowiak; Physical Therapist Mike Barnett, PT, MPT, OCS, ATC; Rehabilitation Services Director Cheryl Woods, PT; Physical Therapist Ryan Hill, PT, DPT, ATC; Office Assistant Veronica McKay; Physical Therapist Jeff Frisse, PT, DPT; Speech Language Pathologist Monica Vinson, MS, CCC-SLP; Physical Therapist John Takagi, PT, DPT; and Office Assistant Kristina Yocum. Seated, from left: Rehab Aide JR Guillermo Delgadillo; Speech Language Pathologist Erin Henley, CCC-SLP, Occupational Therapist Sydney Radcliff, OTR/L; Physical Therapist Ashley Auseth, PT, DPT; and Office Assistants Hailey Jenkins and Beth Bueno. Cover and inside photos by Cooper Studios,

Coordinator Arla Shephard Bull

“Our pediatric program and the new services we provide continues to help the rural and underserved within Mason County so they can access services that may be unavailable to them otherwise,” said Occupational Therapist Tawnie Easton. “We have close communication with the schools and the overall team approach we are able to provide for these children and families has been life-changing for them.”

The purchase of the pediatric equipment was made possible through an $18,000 contribution from Mason General Hospital Foundation’s Endowment Committee. The Endowment Committee’s Forever Fund provides a permanent source of revenue for Mason Health medical equipment and programs.