Spokane physical therapist goes mobile with services

After Spokane resident Trey Nichols was laid off from a home health care agency at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he took a leap of faith by starting his own mobile outpatient physical therapy practice that brings services to clients’ homes and workplaces.

Nichols, who has more than seven years of experience in acute care, skilled nursing facilities and home health, launched Northwest Mobile Physical Therapy Specialists in July.

Since then, the demand for mobile physical therapy services has been growing as more clients are preferring to stay home rather than visit clinics during the pandemic, Nichols said.

“You don’t have to spend your time driving to a clinic, waiting in the waiting room and then driving back home,” he said. “When you factor in wrapping up work and getting ready to head out the door, it could easily be an hour of time that my mobile service just saved you by bringing (physical therapy) to you.”

Northwest Mobile Physical Therapy Specialists differs from home health care agencies because clients aren’t required to be homebound to receive care, Nichols said.

Nichols specializes in rehabilitation related to injury recovery and prevention; total knee, hip and shoulder replacement; vertigo and Parkinson’s Disease, among other things. He also conducts home safety evaluations and prepares wellness continuity plans for clients.

“I was doing home health before and I like the opportunity to work in people’s homes,” he said. “It allows for getting to know the patient in a different context and makes it a little bit more personalized.”

Part of that personalized care involves seeing how a patient moves around their home environment and making modifications, Nichols said.

Northwest Mobile Physical Therapy Specialists provides services to clients in Spokane and Spokane Valley. Nichols also provides physical therapy services in a treatment room at The Wellness Center at North Park, 8121 N. Division St.

“For folks who are going to work out or play racquetball, pickle ball or tennis, (physical therapy) is right there ready to help out with that injury,” Nichols said. “For folks who live outside of town or would like access to extra equipment, they can come to (physical therapy) in The Wellness Center also – even if they are not members.”

Nichols hopes to eventually expand the mobile practice to include more employees.

“I’d love an opportunity to hire other physical therapists to work with me, and be able to grow and provide more patients with this service,” he said.

Clients can book appointments at nwmobilept.com or by calling (509) 808-7974.