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Physical Therapy Services at CrossOver Health Center
» School of Allied Health Professions
In March 2001, Dianne Jewell, PT, DPT, PhD, CSS, assistant professor of physical therapy, started a weekly physical therapy consultation and case management service at CrossOver Health Center, a faith-based free health clinic on Cowardin Avenue in Richmond’s south side that provides a variety of medical services to the city’s uninsured population.
Today, Jewell and colleague Sheryl Finucane, PT, PhD, perform physical therapy assessments of patients referred by the medical staff. Some patients are set up with a supervised home program and periodic follow up at the clinic. For patients with more complex needs, a case management approach is used to identify physical therapy clinics or hospital-based facilities that offer financial assistance or pro bono services. CrossOver is not a physical therapy clinic, so equipment and supplies are limited to what fits in one travel suitcase.
The majority of patients are adults referred for orthopaedic conditions or injuries to the spine and upper or lower extremities. Many work in heavy labor or other jobs that put them at risk for repetitive motion and lifting injuries. Approximately 50 percent to 66 percent of those referred speak Spanish only.
Students in the professional physical therapy program are invited to observe and/or participate in the examination and intervention process. These experiences provide students with an opportunity to interact with populations they might not see during their regular clinical rotations, and the extreme lack of resources available to these patients allows students to be creative in their management of cases.
Get involved
To support this program or get involved as a volunteer, contact Dianne Jewell at dvjewell@vcu.edu.