News Center

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Massage therapy program earns national Center of Excellence status

INDIANAPOLIS – St. Francis Hospital & Health Center’s massage therapy program has been awarded a distinction no other massage therapy program in Indiana has achieved.

St. Francis has become a National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) Center of Excellence.

To obtain this distinction, St. Francis has promoted the highest professional standards in massage therapy by hiring only nationally certified massage therapists.

The NCBTMB recognized that St. Francis massage therapists uphold the profession’s ideal measure of excellence and professionalism. They adhere to the NCBTMB’s rigorous Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, which were developed to protect the integrity and safety of all clients. In addition, these nationally certified practitioners have demonstrated a high level of competency by passing a national exam.

To become nationally certified, a practitioner must:
· Demonstrate mastery of core skills and knowledge
· Complete 500-plus hours of massage education
· Pass an NCBTMB standardized exam
· Commit to safe, ethical practices
· Take part in continuing education.

“National certification is widely considered the highest standard in the field. We are proud to welcome St. Francis to our Center of Excellence program,” said Donna Feeley, chair of the NCBTMB board of directors.

“Becoming an NCBTMB Center of Excellence speaks to St. Francis’ commitment to excellence, ethics and experience,” Feeley added. “It offers reassurance to consumers and helps build trust because they know that only nationally certified massage therapists and/or bodyworkers are employed here.”

St. Francis massage therapists offer a variety of therapeutic massage services, including:
· Swedish massage
· Deep-tissue massage
· Trigger point therapy
· Hot stone massage
· Pfrimmer
· Sports massage
· Bamboossage®
· Reflexology
· Prenatal massage.

Massage therapy services are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are available at St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis and St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville (hours vary by location).

For more information, call 317-865-5865 or visit StFrancisHospitals.org.