MOSES LAKE — Pacific Rehabilitation Center cut the ribbon on its Moses Lake facility Tuesday, at a small ceremony and lunch attended by staff both local and from the west side of the Cascades as well as members of the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce. 

“We have had a dream for a long time to have a clinic here in Eastern Washington, said CEO Regine Neiders. “And ultimately we chose Moses Lake.” 

Pacific Rehabilitation Center, which has been operating in the Puget Sound area since 1984, treats people who have been injured on the job and still have chronic pain long after, Neiders explained. The company’s approach combines physical therapy, occupational therapy, vocational counseling and psychological help. Patients go through a four-week course of therapy, in groups of seven, so they’re all starting and finishing together. The Moses Lake facility opened in August, and the first cohort had finished therapy shortly before the ribbon-cutting.

Occupational medicine specialist Dr. Brandon Penix said the need for Pacific Rehabilitation’s services in the region was great. 

“Not a lot of people want to travel over a mountain to go to a program for 20 days,” he said. “It involves a hotel stay; it involves having somebody watch your kids; it becomes a very big barrier. And if they can’t do it, then it’s sometimes left to the physician to make up a restriction, like ‘How much can they do?’ So, this really provides an outlet for a lot of people who have injuries that result in pain … and they need assistance and guidance.” 

Along with the ribbon-cutting itself, the occasion included sandwich wraps catered by Pita Pit, along with cookies and other sweet snacks.  

“We are incredibly happy to join the community, and are excited about everything that’s happened,” Neiders said. “We’re happy to be here, is all I can say.”