Wheelchair Seating and Mobility Clinic

Good Samaritan's Wheelchair Seating and Mobility Clinic offers a variety of seating and mobility services. The purpose of the Wheelchair Seating and Mobility Clinic is to address the needs of each individual and recommend equipment to best meet those needs, assist with providing the necessary documentation for insurance requirements, and then work with the supplier to fit and adjust the equipment once it arrives.

The clinic offers the following services:

• Wheelchair Evaluation: will be performed to determine type of wheelchair and necessary components that will maximize the patient's independence and safety.  A mobility assessment will be performed to identify the patient's level of independence with functional mobility including transfers, weight shifts and participation with daily activities.  Patients receive a personalized seating and positioning assessment based on their unique strength, balance and range of motion to promote safety and independence in their mobility device.
   
• Posture and Seating evaluation: includes assessment of patient's needs for postural support, stability and postural control.  Seating options are recommended to optimize upright posture and address areas of imbalance in a patient’s body to reduce fatigue, reduce risk of  injury, and maintain skin integrity when using their personalized mobility device.  A follow-up with pressure mapping may be used to for further evaluation of pressure distribution in recommended seating equipment.
   
• Wheelchair Management and Mobility Training: During follow-up assessments, we are able to maximize patient/caregiver knowledge to navigate a patient's environment in their mobility device.  This can include navigating obstacles, navigating varied terrain, learn to improve efficiency with manual wheelchair propulsion, operate joystick controls with powered mobility devices, and training for proper positioning and implementing pressure relief schedules.
   
• Further Recommendations: During your seating assessment, other interventions may be recommended to address postural stability, pain, comfort, fatigue, skin integrity, and cognition to operate mobility device safely.  Your physical therapist may suggest other services available to address your personal needs.  At Good Samaritan Outpatient Rehabilitation Services we have a comprehensive team that includes occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, rehabilitation psychologists, aquatic therapy and more. These services may be recommended for further assessment to address a patient’s seating and positioning needs.

Physician Referral:

A referral from your provider is required and must be faxed to 253-697-5180.

• For Epic referrals, the referral code is REF354 Referral to MHS PT Good Samaritan Hospital. In the comments of the referral, please include W/C seating evaluation.

Schedule an appointment:

• A referral from your provider is required and must be faxed to 253-697-5180.
• You will be contacted by a scheduler within 2 business days. If you do not hear from our scheduler, please call 253-697-7900.
• If you have selected a vendor, please contact them to inform them of your appointment time with us.

Medicare as primary insurance

• Medicare requires a Face to Face in-person examination by a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner.
• The examination must include a 7-element prescription
• During the Face to Face examination, the referring provider must document the following:
  • Description of patient’s mobility limitation and how it interferes with mobility in the home. Ie, dressing, bathing, toileting, feeding, grooming.
  • Explain why a cane/walker/scooter/other mobility device can’t be used.
  • Provider must make it clear that this mobility device is required for safe use inside the home.  Medicare will not fund equipment that is needed outside the home.
  •  MD to make referral to PT/OT for evaluation