SU opens free PT clinic
The Silliman University Institute of Rehabilitative Sciences (SU IRS) provides free physical therapy (PT) services in its PT clinic at the Angelo King Building, prioritizing patients from low-income households who have little access to healthcare services.
The Free Physical Therapy (PT) Clinic of Silliman University Institute of Rehabilitative Sciences (SU IRS) opened with a dedication and blessing ceremony, December 1, 2020 at the Angelo King Building.
The IRS Free PT Clinic, which opened December 1, 2020, aims to advocate better access to PT services for the underprivileged and provide high-quality and compassionate care amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attendees of the blessing ceremony gather at the treatment room that will be used for the clinic.
Teaching independence
Dr. Lily Ann D. Bautista, IRS director, said that the main approach of the Free PT Clinic program is to teach patients how they can continue their treatments at home and teach their caregivers, such as their family members, how to manage the patient’s PT needs.
Dr. Lily Ann D. Bautista, IRS director, gives an overview of the Free PT Clinic.
Instead of requiring patients to have regular PT sessions in the clinic, Bautista said the clinic aims to make sure that patients would be able to continue their physical therapy on their own and visit the clinic only for the progression of their home program or follow-up visits.
“[What is important is] not (the patient) coming to the therapy, but what [they] can do outside of therapy to be functional in (their own home or community),” said Bautista.
Beyond COVID-19
The Free PT Clinic program, said Bautista, also aims to shed light on the need to continue other forms of healthcare and treatments that are not related to COVID-19.
Rev. Wella Hoyle-De Rosas, Minister for Student and Campus Chaplaincy, officiates the blessing.
While the healthcare system focuses on the pandemic, Bautista said PT programs should still continue because the condition of patients who need PT and rehabilitation can worsen in quarantine when patients are not able to get treatment.
“COVID-19, right now, is the center of our world, but what about the outliers? [What about] the things that’s going on outside of COVID-19?” said Bautista.
Safety in the clinic
Bautista assured that the clinic has health protocols in place for safety and protection from COVID-19.
The clinic caters to only two patients per hour and accepts patients by appointment only to avoid overcrowding.
Patients are required to wear a mask and face shield, as with the physical therapists and student-interns who will be in the clinic. Patients need to undergo triage before and after entering the clinic.
Gloves will be worn by physical therapists and student-interns for treatments that require physical contact with the patient.
The treatment room and equipment will be disinfected after each treatment and will be disinfected again at the end of the day.
Internship experience
The clinic, said Bautista, also provides practical experience for PT students in the University who are taking up their internship but cannot train outside Dumaguete City due to quarantine restrictions.
PT student-interns and IRS faculty join the prayer for the blessing of the treatment room.
As an extension program of SU, the clinic adopts the service-learning approach of the University. Student-interns will provide the treatment in the clinic while being accompanied by IRS clinical instructors who are licensed physical therapists.
“Service-learning should start from the beginning (of college education) because this allows students to know what they’re serving, their capacity, [and] what is it that they’re in for…[It’s about] being involved and showing to the student the people [they will be serving] in the future,” said Bautista.
Aside from promoting volunteerism and service-learning, Bautista said the clinic can also be an avenue for research to assess current realities of patients in indigent communities.
Setting an appointment
Those who want to get treatment from the clinic must set an appointment through the clinic’s Facebook page or official contact number. Patients will be screened to make sure those who have financial limitations will be prioritized.
Bautista said the clinic is working with the City Social Welfare and Development Office and City Council to identify and inform low-income households about their free PT services.
The dedication and blessing ceremony of the IRS Free PT Clinic was attended by PT student-interns and IRS faculty.
Those with indigent cards can automatically set an appointment, while those who do not have indigent cards can get a certificate from the barangay or the mayor to show that they are from low-income households.
(The clinic is open from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The clinic is at the Angelo King Building in the SU Medical Center Compound. For appointments, contact the IRS Free PT Clinic through their contact number, 09168511522; or through their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/IRSFreePTClinic/.)
