Amazing…
Fifteen years (16 to be exact), nine clinics and countless lives made better by a bevy of compassionate therapists and a dedicated band of support personnel.
Entrenched deeply in the Quad Cities since its inception in 1984, Rock Valley Physical Therapy made a bold move, opening a clinic in West Des Moines, Iowa, on Jan. 2, 2007.
A clinic three hours west of the comfort and security of the Quad-Cities.
What an amazing first step.
Today, those nine care-filled clinics represent the Des Moines region of Rock Valley Physical Therapy, one of the nation’s largest therapist-owned and therapist-led private PT practices in the country. Rock Valley Physical Therapy features 61 clinics across Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.
Following West Des Moines, Rock Valley opened its Polk City, Iowa site in 2009. That same year, Ankeny, Iowa, would join the Rock Valley fold. In 2010, Rock Valley opened a downtown Des Moines (Ingersoll Ave.) site.
In 2012, Adair, Iowa, with a location at a hospital in Greenfield, Iowa, was added; followed by Waukee in 2017. In 2020, Rock Valley joined forces with Stadia Sports Medicine of West Des Moines. Later in 2020, Rock Valley set down roots in Norwalk, Iowa, then in March of 2002, Rock Valley added Grimes, Iowa, to the family.
“I was working for Iowa Health System – now UnityPoint – and the working culture was challenged,’’ said Dave Freesman, PT, ATC, LAT, CSCS, the longtime West Des Moines clinic manager and corridor cornerstone.
Ever-dedicated and a 24-karat gem as a person, therapist and leader, Freesman was a childhood pal in Ackley, Iowa, with Rock Valley CFO Randy Boldt. That friendship started the Rock Valley-to-Des Moines ball rolling.
“I reached out to Randy to see if there would be a chance to have Rock Valley consider a clinic outside of the Quad-Cities,’’ added Freesman. “And after a great dinner in Iowa City with the (Rock Valley) board and me, (company founder) Steve Layer decided this could happen.’’
Personally, Freesman saw it as an opportunity to achieve a goal, to spread his wings and do something different regarding how PT healthcare is delivered. At that juncture, no orthopedic groups in his area had aligned/partnered or hired their own in-house physical therapy.
The first step was to bring aboard a group of tremendous therapists – great listeners – who possessed outstanding manual skills and wanted to change the lives of patients in a great way.
A phenomenal foundation was laid.
Within days, Wendy Bloomhuff, PT, DPT, OCS, CSMT, TPS, Regional Manager, would walk through the door. A short time later, Bloomhuff would begin what has become a bright, shining, compassionate-filled career with Rock Valley.
Longtime Rock Valley stars Marty Ungs PT, OCS, Clinic Manager (Ingersoll Ave.); Beth Schweizer (PT, MPT) and Stephanie Kelsick, PT, OCS, CSCS, Regional Manager (Polk City), would join forces. Ungs, of tremendous orthopedic background, great skill and 10,000 watt personality, walked through the door the first week Rock Valley was open.
Three months later he joined the family and remains an integral part of all that is Rock Valley.
“The (Rock Valley) structure was very much in line with my personal mission,’’ said the ever-dedicated and personable Ungs. “I was entrenched locally, but Rock Valley had the bandwidth I needed to enhance what I do. That said, there was so much more to it. You were taken with (Rock Valley’s) commitment to its patients and its commitment to its therapists. That hasn’t changed and never will. It was the best of both worlds and something you really didn’t have in the settings I had experienced before. It has always been special.’’
Mike Horsfield, CEO Rock Valley Physical Therapy, said those who laid the foundation for great success in the Des Moines area and those who continue to provide great care, should be lauded for their efforts.
“Success in the Des Moines region is 100 percent due to the great people there who care more than they should,’’ he said. “We (administration) simply bet on an amazing human who happens to be a great therapist and then were smart enough to stay out of his way. Dave’s reputation as a person and therapist resulted in patients and therapists lining up at the clinic day one. Marty and Steph were two of those therapists. They (along with many others) have been instrumental in shaping this region and our company into what it is today. We have learned so much from this amazing crew.’’
Tremendous veteran leadership has paved the way for the new therapist looking to “Make Better Lives.’’
I started as a patient at Rock Valley around 2012,’’ said Abigail Panek-Ginsberg, PT, DPT, who calls the Ingersoll Ave. site home. “One thing I found unique to Rock Valley was the care I received not only from the PT’s, but the front desk and tech staffing. Going through an injury at a young age is physically and mentally taxing but the support that I now know to be unique to RVPT made all the difference in my recovery.”
“I was pursuing a professional ballet career when, like most athletes, I got injured. I navigated through a few sports medicine doctors and ultimately was referred to PT with Marty Ungs. Since being a patient, I have gone through PT school and spent time at several different PT clinics. I can truly say the one on one care provided at Rock Valley is unique, and you won’t find more caring staff at any other clinic. I am proud to be part of Rock Valley and to get to provide the compassionate care that I received as a patient here not long ago.’’
By: Johnny Marx, Storyteller