Doreen M. Francey, new occupational therapy hand specialist at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, demonstrates a patient assessment.

POTSDAM -- Occupational therapist Doreen M. Francey has joined Canton-Potsdam Hospital as its specialist in outpatient hand therapy.

Francey provides therapy Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Cheel Medical Campus, 49 Lawrence Avenue, Potsdam, in conjunction with Dr. Jeffrey Haasbeek, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with a specialty in diseases and disorders of hands and fingers.

“OT hand specialists are trained to treat fractures of the hand or arm, and issues related to recovery from burns, deep wounds, or surgical repair of tendons and muscles,” said Francey.

“We can also treat acquired conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and osteoarthritis,” she said. “I create a treatment plan with each client and it may include exercises, education regarding injury prevention, and range-of-motion re-education,” she said.

Hand therapy is a subspecialty area within occupational therapy, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Addressing the biomechanical issues underlying mobility, function, or sensation of the upper extremities—hands, fingers, thumb, wrist, and arm—hand therapists treat problems within the context of a client’s work, recreation, and family life.

“Most people want to get back to what they love doing, and our hands are so critical to everyday activities like driving or cooking as well as earning a living,” said Haasbeek.

Francey received her bachelor of science in occupational therapy from the State University of New York at Buffalo, after which she practiced in Salt Lake City. She moved to the North Country in 2000. She is a member of AOTA and an associate member of the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT). She has practiced in home care, nursing home, and hospital-based inpatient and outpatient care settings, and has experience in orthotic fabrication.

“Having a professional of Mrs. Francey’s skill, extensive experience, and educational background expands the options my patients have: this is the kind of expertise usually offered in academic medical centers, and we have it right here,” said Haasbeek.

Francey becomes the second occupational therapist in the Department of Physical Rehabilitation, with Patty Prouty.

CPH offers physical rehabilitation services as part of diagnosis and treatment of conditions and diseases of the bones, muscles, tendons, and joints (the musculoskeletal system). These services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy in Potsdam, physical therapy in Brasher Falls and Canton, and orthopedic medicine and surgery in Potsdam and Canton.

To schedule an appointment with Francey, patients should contact their primary care provider or call 261-5460.

For information about CPH orthopedic services, interested individuals should visit www.cphortho.org.