Over the last six months, Methodist Rehabilitation Center (MRC) has grown exponentially, intentionally, and strategically. With the opening of their Gluckstadt outpatient therapy clinic and their ninth orthotics and prosthetics clinic in Tupelo, and with the Clinton outpatient therapy clinic well underway in the construction process, MRC is working hard to bring the highest caliber of patient care to the areas where it is most needed.
Through patient demographic tracking, MRC has been able to learn where the majority of their outpatient therapy patients are located. Surprisingly, many patients were traveling long distances multiple times a week in order to receive treatment in one of the existing clinics in Flowood and Ridgeland. Joe Jacobson, MRC Director of Outpatient Therapy, notes, “We owe it to the state of Mississippi to get out there and give patients access to the services and care we provide.” Although there are many outstanding facilities across the state providing therapy services for joint replacement, fall rehabilitation, and injury recovery, the specialized services offered by MRC for stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, and other neurological issues are not typically available at these other facilities. “We are filling a need, not just seeking competitive growth,” Jacobson adds. Mississippi’s rural healthcare crisis in conjunction with an aging Baby Boomer generation means that many of the patients seen at Methodist Rehabilitation Center are there due to a lack of access to preventative care. “The need for our services is growing quickly.”
“We know that acute care hospitals save lives, but at MRC we help put lives back together,” David McMillin, MRC CEO, says. Their aim is to assist those who have experienced a traumatic brain or spinal injury, stroke, or neurological disorder get back to their lives. “This is all about people’s lives - not profit and loss.” McMillin's passion for growing access to rehabilitation comes from his dedication to advocacy and his commitment to helping others, as well as his love for Mississippi. “I’m so encouraged about these openings, because basically what we’re working on is access to care. It sounds pretty generic, but it’s not. While we are a healthcare provider and healthcare servants, our true mission is reinvesting in our community and our state.”
Methodist Rehabilitation also has many patients that graduate to outpatient care after they have moved on from inpatient care at the hospital. Those individuals are ready to go home. They are ready to return to familiar spaces, but they shouldn’t have to sacrifice their care to do so. By opening clinics closer to them, these patients will be able to continue care seamlessly and, ultimately, achieve the best recovery possible.
The growth at MRC has not just been physical expansion, however. An extremely important facet of the work MRC does is through the Wilson Research Foundation, the fundraising arm of Methodist Rehab. The research, fundraising, and educational efforts of the Wilson Foundation lead to advancements in technological uses in rehabilitation, as well as breakthroughs in patient treatment techniques. “We want to use tech to improve our patients' lives,” Jacobson notes. With various programs such as Quest, Driving Rehabilitation, and LOUD, as well as huge advancements in prosthetics and orthotics, MRC is seen as a leader in rehabilitative care. “We want to be overachievers in healthcare.“
Chris Wallace, Director of Orthotics and Prosthetics at MRC, is excited about the possibilities that technological developments have created in the areas of patient care and service. “We’re always looking for opportunities to implement advanced technologies into our operation. We have been involved in additive manufacturing with our 3D printer for some time and are currently in the process of expanding the capabilities of that technology. Additionally we are investigating further expansions in production capabilities through automation and innovation. These investments will help us be even more efficient in our operations, and continue to be the leader in advanced patient care for orthotic and prosthetic services. We are honored to serve patients and families in Mississippi and Louisiana and bring these innovations in care to our area.” Our O&P clinics will continue to focus on providing exceptional service with the most skilled clinicians available so families in our area don’t need to travel long distances to receive advanced care.
Methodist Rehabilitation will celebrate 50 Years of hope, success, and growth in 2025. Instead of looking back at the distance from the starting line, MRC is focused on the race ahead, and the ground left to cover. Wallace notes, “We're ambassadors for our industry. We want people to not just associate Mississippi with negative connotations. There are some great things here, and Methodist is one of them.”