Print edition: 
Wesley Medical Center officials think the hospital can net more business in adult outpatient physical and occupational therapy by moving a big piece from the hospital to the east and west sides of town.
The HCA-owned acute-care hospital will open a 2,500-square-foot adult physical and occupational therapy office at 8710 W. 13th St. And it is remodeling an existing building at 11120 E. 26th St. for a 3,500-square-foot east-side office. Both offices, which will also offer certified hand therapy, are expected to open sometime in September.
By moving the services from Wesley's main campus at 550 N. Hillside, "we think that's really going to drive our opportunities and growth" for outpatient physical and occupational therapy, Wesley chief operating officer Steve Edgar said Thursday.
Edgar said the moves of the offices will increase their accessibility to outpatients and prompt more outpatients to use Wesley's physical and occupational therapy services.
"We certainly hope so," he said.
Edgar said initially the hospital plans to use its existing physical and occupational therapy employees — 15 in all — to staff the new locations. But he expects to hire more staff incrementally as volume at the new offices grows.
"Certainly the go-forward plan is to start ramping up employment," he said.
The hospital also will be moving its pediatric physical therapy office across the street to Health Strategies, at 551 N. Hillside, which will give that office more space to work in, Edgar said.
