UNDERSTANDING that one health professional can’t do it all lies behind the creation of a new Albury clinic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Osteopath Thanuja Vanderhoek and musculoskeletal therapist Emily Manson joined together to form Albury Integrated Health, which offers a range of complementary services in Pemberton Street.
The pair met about two years ago when they ran separate practices in the same central Albury building.
Originally from Finley, Dr Vanderhoek studied and worked in Sydney for 15 years before receiving a grant from the Rural Doctors Network to move to a rural location.
Miss Manson grew up on the Border, attended university in Brisbane and worked overseas ahead of returning to set up her own practice.
She and Dr Vanderhoek discovered they worked well side by side and already had mutual patients.
They also shared the desire for a centre of different health professionals working under the same roof.
"Not just joining together, but having a group of practitioners that collaborate and work together because everyone has specific areas that they're good at,” Dr Vanderhoek said.
“We knew that one practitioner can't fit the mould for everybody."
She felt a multi-disciplinary health clinic had been “a missing link” in this area that has been valued by those who have joined them.
"They found it hard to find that team atmosphere in other clinics as well so we're really encouraging a team atmosphere in this clinic so we can focus on the needs of the patient," she said.
After opening its doors in May, Albury Integrated Health now has two osteopaths, a musculoskeletal therapist, two physiotherapists, an exercise physiologist and a massage therapist.
The clinic offers wellness and fitness coaching, strength and conditioning classes, yoga and clinical pilates classes.
Admitting they were “pretty picky” when choosing a location, the managing directors settled on a corner property near Albury’s centre that offered parking and a large studio space.
Miss Manson said patients have responded well to the new venue.
"They walk in and everyone goes, 'It's such a nice feel', it's very welcoming, it's light," she said.
"The other thing that they love is that it's all here, so it meets their needs to that one-stop place for health," Dr Vanderhoek added.
"It's just great that we can refer in-house as well to other practitioners so we're really focusing on the patient and what practitioner they need rather than holding on to a patient. It's not just one practitioner that can help a patient, it's collaborative."