Photo: Contributed

Tysen LeBlond, director of Allied Health for the North Okanagan and East Kootenays, welcomes new physiatrist Dr. Jennifer Thomas to Vernon Jubilee Hospital.

A new doctor and new equipment means some patients will not have to travel from Vernon to Kelowna for treatment.

Physiatry care treatments can now be done at Vernon Jubilee Hospital with the arrival of Dr. Jennifer Thomas.

Thomas specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Physiatrists diagnose and treat both acute pain as well as chronic pain and specialize in a wide variety of nonsurgical treatments for the musculoskeletal system.

Thomas, working both in the community and at the hospital, will be available to treat a wide variety of medical conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons.

“I am excited to return to my home town and to help patients develop treatment plans so they can enjoy a better quality of life. As a physiatrist, we focus on treating the whole person, not just the symptoms,” said Thomas. “In order to diagnose and treat pain, we require specialty equipment, such as an electromyography machine (EMG) to assess the health of muscles and the nerves that control them. In addition, the way we use an ultrasound machine is revolutionizing how we, as physiatrists, diagnose and treat many musculoskeletal conditions, allowing us to view soft tissue to diagnose and support treatment.”

Kate McBrearty, Executive Director of VJH Foundation, said at the 10th anniversary VJHF Charity Classic, the Jim & Laverne Popowich Foundation and Archie Stroh funded the purchase of the ultrasound machine in the Fund-a-Need portion of the annual event.

“In addition, an anonymous donation received after the event enabled the purchase of the EMG machine that’s required for patients to be tested right here in Vernon,” said McBrearty.