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June
22, 2006 North Richland Hills
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Premier
Rehab is described as a "sparkling new, Physical Therapy
Clinic designed for a casual, comfortable and productive
rehabilitation experience." Premier has two strategically
located facilities in Keller and North Richland Hills.
The company is owned by Kelly Eckols. Premier's literature points
out that her facilities have the only underwater treadmill for
accelerated rehabilitation in the DFW area. |
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In
an interview this week with Kelly Eckols, owner of the
Premier Rehab facilities in Keller and North Richland Hills,
she was asked for the single most important message that she
wanted to impart to LNO readers. Kelly said, " I
want patients to know they have options. I want them to
know that some rehab facilities are actually better for
their recovery than others. I want the patient to know
that they need to be their own best patient advocate."
The strikingly beautiful Texas Tech graduate is a life long resident of the area
who set out on an uncertain career path after she received
her degree in Exercise and Sports Science from the Lubbock
University. Kelly returned to the area and took a
position as a school teacher in Hurst assigned to PE and
Speech classes. However, her passion was in the
science of fitness, in Junior High, explained Kelly, the
only kids that were really into fitness could be found in
the sports programs, not PE.
Kelly knew she had no desire to be a personal trainer, so
she asked herself what does one do with her degree?
Kelly decided to go back to school and attended Texas
Women's University where she earned a Masters Degree in
Physical Therapy (MSPT) in 1999. |
Kelly Eckols, MSPT |
After earning
her Masters Degree in Physical Therapy, Kelly worked with
Health South in the outpatient area.
Today she owns two rehab locations and employs 4 degreed
therapists and one licensed assistant. |
The women's
professional football team Dallas Diamonds jersey hangs at
her facility because she has successfully treated a number
of their players.
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When
Kelly decided to open her own rehab facility in August 2003
she was already committed to the benefits of Aquatic
Therapy. Kelly decided to locate in areas where she
felt there was the greatest need and growth potential for
her services.
Kelly said
the closest facilities that offered some type of hydro rehab
facilities were in Euless and Grapevine.
After extensive remodeling, Kelly opened her North Richland
Hills location in November 2003.
Since that time, her facilities have treated patients with a
wide variety of rehab needs and earned a reputation as an
expert in helping athletes recover and return to their
respective sports. Her walls are lined with grateful
athletes' jerseys that have been able to return to their
sport. |
| Kelly
said that her North Richland Hills location is the former
location for Rebel Land Auto Supply. "Many times
when people want to know our location, I tell them we are
located where the Rebel Land Auto Store was and, if they
lived in this area for long, usually they know where we are
located." |
Kelly
points out part of her memorabilia walls covered with
letters and items given to her by some of her former
patients.
Ellen Murray, MSPT on right is the Clinic Director at
Premier Rehab. |
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Among
the memorable photos on the walls of the Premier Rehab is a litany
of post op photos (on right). Texas law requires a
doctor's order to receive treatment at Kelly's Physical
Therapy facilities. The referrals from Medical
Doctors, Doctors of Osteopathy, Doctors of Chiropractic, and
Dentists refer about 75% of her business which is post
operative rehab.
The post operative photographs are pretty gruesome and
exhibit the difficult time patients may have struggling
through their rehab. The encouragement and personal
attention given at private facilities like Premier Rehab can
make a big difference in a patient's desire. The water
therapy found at Premier, can speed recovery because of the
additional benefits.
"Many times the doctor will prescribe rehab for the
patient without recommending any particular facility. The
patient often find themselves doing rehab in a big
hospital without being aware of the growing options in
private practice. Private practice can provide all the
services, many times in a more personal relationship.
Unfortunately, many times the patient has to step up to be
their own advocate and explore their private facility
options."
Kelly
points out that the water therapy is a huge adjunct option
and can be very important in a land/water therapy
program. "For example," Kelly pointed out,
"a hip patient may have a particularly difficult time
with gravity therapy. However, they find it less
stressful and painful to adapt to the water therapy
options." |
Kelly points out
the hydro-therapy pool. This pool is unlike anyone's
backyard option. At the bottom of the pool is an
actual treadmill to assist patients during their
rehab. There are underwater cameras that allow the
therapist to see the patient's movements underwater.
This allows the therapist to point out issues in motor
motion evaluation, for example if a hip patient has a
tendency to swing their leg out versus a straight motion. |
A number of
options are available to the therapist, in the large pool,
that allows them to tailor exactly the amount of resistance
appropriate for the patient's recovery status. |
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The
goal of Premier Rehab is simply stated, "Our goal is to get
you back to a productive, pain-free lifestyle...Our style is
to use the latest state-of-the-art fitness and
rehabilitation equipment while offering a gentle, caring
one-on-one approach."
Boasting over 4,200 square feet in the facility there are
private dressing rooms, shower facilities, aquatic pool with
underwater treadmill, private treatment rooms and all new
exercise equipment with a large open training gym for sports
rehabilitation.
From seeing the mementos, and bulletin board overflowing
with letters of gratitude, it certainly seems that Kelly
achieves her goal often. Kelly Eckols, MSPT
local girl turned successful entrepreneur. Kelly can
be reached at 817.498.8585 |
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