Ribbon Cutting Celebrates Newest Partnership between North Oaks and Southeastern Louisiana University

Community leaders, North Oaks Health System and Southeastern Louisiana University officials gathered for a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of North Oaks Rehabilitation Services at Southeastern on Tuesday, April 26.

The new outpatient rehabilitation clinic is located within the Pennington Student Activity Center at 1350 N General Pershing St. in Hammond.

Physical Therapists and Southeastern alumni Rebecca Troulliet, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS, Kyle Granat, PT, DPT, and Tony Miller, PT, DPT, staff the clinic. All three earned their undergraduate degrees at the university.

Patients will be referred by orthopedic surgeons who practice with North Oaks Orthopedic Specialty Center.

To kick off the ribbon cutting program, Reagan Johnson, who is vice president of the health system’s orthopedic service line, welcomed guests, noting that the new clinic is a testament to the strength of the health system’s longstanding partnership with Southeastern. North Oaks is the official health care provider of Southeastern Athletics.

“This new clinic will focus on the rehabilitative care of professional, collegiate and high school athletes, as well as individuals who enjoy an active lifestyle,” affirmed Johnson.

As North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital Administrator, Mac Barrient oversees the health system’s outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation services. He introduced the clinic’s team of physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons. He also guided tours of the nearly 2,000-square-foot clinic that features rehabilitative equipment geared toward the unique needs of athletes.

Among the clinic’s equipment is a top-of-the-line squat rack with multiple accessories and Rogues' "The Difference" striking machine, which is used to increase athlete’s upper body strength, speed and explosiveness, while simultaneously increasing work capacity. An Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill is used to assist in recovery from fractures and knee or hip surgery, while a “Game Ready” cryotherapy system provides cold compression therapy to speed up recovery and reduce pain and swelling. 

Dr. Jeffrey Witty, who is medical director of North Oaks Rehabilitation Services, and an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist practicing with North Oaks Orthopedic Specialty Center, praised the expertise of the staff and highlighted the clinic’s benefit to patients.

“Having this clinic on campus will be of tremendous benefit to Southeastern’s athletes and athletic training staff not only in terms of convenience, but also in doing more to support the three points of continuum of care – injury to rehabilitation to maintenance,” he explained. “Motivation is contagious, and being around others going through similar recovery processes can propel people to achieve their own goals. This setting also is ideal for ‘industrial athletes,’ who have physically demanding jobs like firefighting or construction work.”

Jay Artigues, athletic director for Southeastern Louisiana University, agreed and added, “Athletes thrive on competition. Congregating this group of patients in one setting will motivate them to maximize their improvement in ways that a traditional rehabilitation clinic setting may not.”

“Although we have specialized equipment in this clinic to address athletes’ needs, we also have the ability to meet the needs of other types of patients,” Witty noted. “This setting also is ideal for ‘industrial athletes,’ who have physically demanding jobs like firefighting or construction work, or ‘weekend warriors,’ who enjoy an active lifestyle but don’t necessarily play an official sport.”

Since December 1988, "whatever it takes" has been the mission and goal of North Oaks Rehabilitation Services. With more than 60 therapists and three outpatient locations, North Oaks Rehabilitation Services is the largest, most comprehensive program of its kind on the Northshore.

Other outpatient locations of North Oaks Rehabilitation Services include: 2101 Robin Avenue, Suite 4, within Hammond Park Professional Building in Hammond; and 17199 Spring Ranch Road within North Oaks-Livingston Parish Medical Complex in Livingston.

To learn more about North Oaks Rehabilitation Services at Southeastern, call (985) 230-5920. To learn more about orthopedic, rehabilitation, sports medicine and sports performances services available through North Oaks Health System, call (985) 230-2663.