Rehabilitation Services consists of therapists and support staff for the disciplines of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy. The role of a therapist is to assist patients to regain function, such as mobility, self care, and communication skills due to accidents, injuries or medical conditions. Therapists provided services to both inpatients and outpatients at Denver Health. Therapists work closely with physicians and other ancillary services to promote optimal functional independence for patients and to assist with the transition back to the community.

In addition to direct patient care, therapists also provide training to family members and caregivers in order to promote patient safety and well-being following discharge from therapy services. Likewise, therapists provide training to co-workers for prevention of work-related injuries.

Rehabilitation Services Clinics and Specialty Programs:

Work Rehabilitation and Pre-employment Screening
Orthotic’s Clinic
Orthopeadic Pre-Operative Clinic
Amputee – Brace Clinic
Adult & Pediatric Wheelchair Clinics
Hand Therapy
Early Intervention Community Speech Group
Breast Cancer Rehabilitation
Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
Major Multiple Trauma Rehabilitation

Research

Funded by the Komen Foundation, "Cancer Rehabilitation for Minority or Low Income Breast Cancer Patients" is a three year project with the overall objective of conducting a vanguard randomized control trial to test the feasibility of a comprehensive cancer rehabilitation program for Hispanic and low income breast cancer patients.

Patients are enrolled for this study through the Denver Health Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Clinic. All patient participants are referred to outpatient PT/OT. Patients are assigned to either a control group or an active group for therapy follow-up at the Denver Health Outpatient Therapy clinic. Those assigned to the control group are followed periodically in outpatient PT/OT for 6 to 8 sessions over a 12 week period. Those patients assigned to the active group are seen for an intensive therapy program for approximately 15 PT/OT visits over a six-week period and subsequently referred to a community-based exercise program upon discharge from therapy.

	Pete Metropulos, Physical Therapist Rehabilitation Services Manager Pete has 25 years of experience as a physical therapist and manager of rehabilitation disciplines including physical, occupational and speech therapy. He is a graduate of Marquette University's Program in Physical Therapy and has served as adjunct faculty and guest lecturer at physical therapy programs at Hahnemann University, Regis University, and Colorado University Health Sciences Center. Prior to being named Rehab Services Manager at Denver Health in 2002, Pete gained clinical and managerial experience at Moss Rehabilitation Hospital (Philadelphia, Pa.), Good Samaritan Medical Center (Phoenix, Ariz.), and Colorado Easter Seals.  Pete was honored as Denver Health "Boss of the Year" in 2004, and is a "Black Belt" for Denver Health's LEAN System's Improvement. Under Pete's leadership Rehabilitation Services has received annual awards for "Best Practices" and "Outstanding Customer Satisfaction." Since 2004, Rehab Services has enjoyed a 92 percent employee retention rate.
	Lance Maloney,OTR, CHT  Lead Outpatient OT Lance is a graduate of Colorado State University, where he received a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy. He also received a B.S. in Social Sciences from CSU. He holds the following certifications: Registered Occupational Therapist, NBCOT, Certified Hand Therapist/CHT, Hand Therapy Certification Commission, & Adult NTDA Certification.
	Karen Hormachea, OTR, CHT Karen is a graduate of State University of New York at Buffalo, N.Y., where she received a B.A. in Spanish. She also received a B.S. in Occupational Therapy from SUNY - Buffalo. She holds the following certifications: HTCC, Inc. Certification in Hand Therapy, NBCOT, Inc. Certification in Occupational Therapy, Active Nebraska OT Liscense, State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Service Regulation and Licensure certification in Electrotherapeutic Agents, Deep Thermal Agents, Superficial Thermal Agents & American Heart Association CPR Certification.
	Birgit Mueller, PT Lead Outpatient PT Birgit is a graduate of University of Bayreuth, Germany where she received a Physical Therapy degree, Magna Cum Laude.  She holds certifications as a Cancer Exercise Specialist & Orthopedic Manual Therapist (Maitland Concept).
	Jan Minifie, PT Outpatient Orthopaedic Liaison Rehabilitation Services Clinical Educator Jan is a graduate of University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX., where she received a B.S. in Physical Therapy. She is a certified Physical Therapist.
	Barb Davis, PT Barb is a graduate of University of Colorado Health Sciences Center,  where she received a Master Degree in Physical Therapy. She received a B.S. in Kinesiology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is a certified Physical Therapist.
	Shawn Jackson, Pediatric PT Shawn is a graduate of University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center, where he received a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy. He received a B.S in Kinesiology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is a certified Physical Therapist.
	Mary McHenry, PT Mary is a graduate of Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, La., where she received a B.S. in Physical Therapy. She also attended Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La., where she studied Pre-Physical Therapy. She is a certified Physical Therapist.
	Amy Ritchie, PT Accomplishments to be announced.
	Pam Rutstein, PT Pam is a graduate of Regis University, where she obtained her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. She received her Masters in Physical Therapy from Regis and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado. She is a certified Physical Therapist.
	Linda Roberts, SLP Accomplishments to be announced.