Clinic Closing – A Time to Say Goodbye

After 25 years the team at Ethel Street Therapeutic Massage Clinic regret to inform our patients that the clinic is closing as of February 24th, 2022. Owners Matthew Longman and Shari McDowell have sold the property and are closing the practice to pursue a lifelong dream of a homestead where they can expand their animal family and love of gardening, among other exciting projects.

Matthew Longman, RMT is retiring after 29 years of dedicated practice in a career that is also a passion. As an enthusiastic entrepreneur and creative problem solver, Matthew plans to focus on his other companies Azimuth Solar Products and Aquassure Accessible Baths in 2022.

Matthew’s journey as a Registered Massage Therapist began in 1992 as a graduate of the West Coast College of Massage Therapy. In 1993 he relocated back home to Kelowna, and after a few years opened up Ethel Street Therapeutic Massage in 1996. His clinic has been a fixture on Ethel Street since then, housing his full time practice and rented space for other Registered Massage Therapists.

Matthew would like to thank his patients for their loyalty and kindness, many of whom have been coming to him for years. He has had the unique joy of getting to know a multitude of wonderful people, and watching them learn, grow and change throughout the years and seasons of life. It has been an exceptional privilege and an honour to be a part of his patient’s lives.

The cats would like everyone to know that they have been promised a catio, and will greatly miss schmoozing pats off of every person they could.

It has been the utmost pleasure to serve our community. Thank you for the love and support over the last 25 years. We couldn’t be more humbled by the experience.

What happens now?

Matthew Longman, RMT will be keeping his license and insurance and may take patients in a few months after a sabbatical. Location and availability are to be determined, and we will share that information when we have it. If you’d like to be on that list, please let us know.

The clinic e-mail and phone number will cease to work at the end of the month.

Billing, receipts, and paperwork requests will be available via Brook: call 778-478-0469 or please e-mail her at [email protected]. You may also reach out to Matthew on his cell phone at 250-878-0409.

Please note all requests for billing, receipts, and paperwork will be fulfilled by Brook as soon as possible within her current hours (Monday through Thursday 8:30 am to 12:30 pm), and delays may be experienced. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Matthew Longman, RMT has put together a list of Registered Massage Therapists that he suggests to his patients. He suggests them as a starting point in finding a replacement RMT.

Patricia Rambold, RMT
Hands-On Healing
2363 Enterprise Way
Kelowna, BC V1X 7K2
250-763-9355
https://www.kelownarmt.ca/

Kindra Wirch, RMT
Glenmore Massage Therapy
#205-385 Glenmore Road
250-860-2007
https://www.glenmoremt.com/kindra-wirch-rmt

Amy Mitchell, RMT
Enhanced Healing Massage Therapy
Lakeshore and Richter locations
778-477-6750
https://www.ehmassagetherapy.ca/

Steven Biollo, RMT
The Body Center
#209-2365 Gordon Drive
778-363-4099
https://www.thebodycenter.ca/teammembers/stephenbiollo

Gary Schweitzer, RMT
Deepwerks Massage Therapy Clinic
#304-1726 Dolphin Ave
250-860-3811
https://deepwerks.com/

Kalli Betemps, RMT’s last official day at the clinic is February 18th. If you are a patient of Kalli’s and wish to know where she is moving her practice to, please let us know and we will make sure you are on the list. Kalli will reach out to all patients as soon as she is settled in her new location.

July Changes at the Clinic

On July 1st the mask mandate changed in British Columbia and the health authority no longer requires masks in public spaces. As a business we do still require masks when in the clinic to protect our RMTs and our patients while double vaccinations are still progressing. RMTs and patients are welcome to discuss mask wearing when on the massage table, and our RMTs will assess on a patient by patient basis. We still do not have an indoor waiting room as it is quite a small space, so you will be greeted at the front door at the start of your appointment. We appreciate your support!

Amy Fairman, RMT is leaving our clinic as of the end of June. We wish her all the best in new opportunities! She is a phenomenal RMT and anyone who wishes to book with her going forward is welcome to phone the clinic and we are happy to give you her contact.

The phone line unfortunately continues to be a problem. We’ve been having phone troubles for the better part of a year. A month ago Shaw sent a tech out and thought they resolved everything. Unfortunately earlier this week we were informed that something may be amiss. After some testing we reached out to Shaw and they are working on a resolution that may take a few days. Right now it seems as if every few phone calls instead of triggering our voicemail, it forwards to an extension operator line that does not exist. If that happens, please hang up and try again, or send us an e-mail to [email protected] and we’ll call you back as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience during this difficulty!

Clinic Reopening

Hello everyone!

The clinic is reopening officially on June 2nd. At this time only Matthew Longman, RMT is available to take patients, as both Amy Fairman, RMT and Kalli Betemps, RMT are waiting for some important equipment to come in that they require. At this time both estimate that they will be reopening around June 16th. Both are committed to reopening as soon as possible and are hoping for fast deliveries.

With reopening there are some important changes that we have to announce!

We have had a rate increase. New rates can be found on our Rates Page. As always we direct bill to most insurances and are happy to do so, if you have a plan you want to take advantage of let us know.

We have put in place new policies and practices due to COVID-19 to help protect the health of patients and massage therapists. Massage therapy is a hands-on practice, so we are not able to social distance during treatment. Outside of treatment we have several steps that we are taking, and that we will request our patients take, to minimize exposure possibilities and enhance safety.

1. Appointments have been limited and staggered so that cross-over between patients in common areas will be prevented.

2. We are accepting cash if needed, however our preference is for card payment (Debit, Visa, MasterCard, AMEX) OR e-transfer paid in advance. (If you want to prepay, please let us know, we’ll send you details.)

3. All massage therapists will be wearing protective equipment such as masks. They will also change shirts between every patient, disinfect their hands and arms between patients and after handling any equipment.

4. New equipment (such as vinyl pillows) that is easier to sanitize properly have been purchased. You may notice a bit less pizzazz in the decoration – that’s because we are removing anything that is difficult to disinfect. Common areas and treatment rooms will be cleaned and disinfected between patients. Linens are never shared and are washed in an extended sterilization cycle.

We ask that all our patients follow the following procedures for their appointments. This may feel a bit alien, but we appreciate everyone’s support.

1. If you are sick, recovering from any illness, or feel like you may be getting something, please do not come. Call and cancel. We promise we will do the same if an RMT is ill. Our RMTs reserve the right to assess and send someone home if they feel they aren’t well.

2. The clinic door will be locked. There are chairs outside (or you can sit on the patio). Your RMT will come and get you when it is time for your appointment.

3. A mask is required to be inside the clinic. If you do not have one at home, we will provide one to you, and your RMT will give it to you when they come greet you.

4. After you are masked up and come inside, please head straight to the bathroom to wash your hands. It’s the second door on the left.

5. Your RMT will guide you through all of this. Please enjoy your treatment! When it comes time to payment, we accept all forms but greatly prefer card or e-transfer.


The cats will begin to make their phone calls now but please mind that they are small and lack thumbs, so there may be delays. We are calling in the order that people were on the schedule and had to be cancelled and will do our best to get everyone in as soon as possible. We have however had to cut down the amount of appointments in a day available to accommodate safety procedures.
Thank you for everyone’s support! We look forward to talking to and seeing you soon.

– Ethel Street Therapeutic

Clinic Closure Due to COVID-19

During this complicated time the clinic has decided to close temporarily to protect the health of our patients and massage therapists. We are hoping that in early April we’ll be able to reopen our doors, but are playing it by ear at this time to see what is the most responsible choice. Until then, we appreciate your patience and understanding. Our administrative staff is working from home with limited hours, so there will be a delay to any phone messages or e-mails sent. If you have questions or concerns please leave a voicemail at 250-717-1741 or e-mail [email protected]! Please take care of yourselves, we wish everyone the best!

ESTM’s Response to the Current Health Crisis

Cold and flu season is currently at its height and that is compounded with the current pandemic crisis involving novel Coronavirus COVID-19. At Ethel Street Therapeutic Massage Clinic we are committed to the well being of our clients, and are proactively making sure the clinic is as sanitized as possible in all public and private areas.

At this time we do offer a friendly reminder and request to please stay home and reschedule your appointment if you are ill. NO fees will be incurred as a result of last minute cancellations due to illness! Massage therapy is not suggested for people who are suffering a cold or flu as it can exasperate your symptoms. Our RMT’s may send someone home to recover if they show up sick to their massage appointment. This is for your health, ours, and the health of others receiving care.

HealthLinkBC has a comprehensive page on information about COVID-19, and what you can do to prevent it, as well as what to do if you think you may have it: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/coronavirus-disease-covid-19

ICBC and Massage Therapy – what changed after April 1st?

As of April 1st, 2019 ICBC made some serious changes to all of their programs and how paramedical providers such as Registered Massage Therapists interact with them. Many of these changes have been financially beneficial to the client, making the burden of after-accident medical care a little easier. So what changed? What does the new system look like now?

Here is a rundown on the changes and what it means to you and us:

Fees and Payments

Previously ICBC paid only $23 directly to a massage therapist, with the patient having to privately pay the remainder of their treatment and give that receipt to their adjuster for reimbursement. Now, ICBC pays $107 for the first assessment treatment, and $80 for the remaining treatments. This is paid directly to the massage therapist by ICBC. This does not necessarily cover the cost of the entire treatment received, nor is ICBC legislating that this is to be the required total cost of the treatment. If your treatment cost is not covered by the amount ICBC pays, you’ll need to pay the remaining amount privately, or if you have private insurance (Manulife, Blue Cross, etc.) we can discuss billing the remaining amount of the treatment to your insurance plan. ICBC will no longer be offering reimbursement by adjustor for receipts for any remaining costs. Because of these changes we now offer a new 40 minute treatment for ICBC patients who don’t want to pay out of pocket.

Visits Available

ICBC gives you 12 visits to a massage therapist up front without requiring a doctor’s note, to be completed within 12 weeks of the date of your motor vehicle accident. If your massage therapist and you together agree that you would benefit from additional treatments, we’re able to request an extension from ICBC. It is not promised that we will receive one.

Reporting

While massage therapists are not required to make the type of steady reports other paramedical providers are, we are required to provide formal discharge at the end of treatment and provide ICBC with information related to your discharge. During your treatment it is not unusual for an adjuster to check-in on your progress and see what the massage therapist’s opinion is.

Billing

ICBC has introduced a brand new online application called the Health Care Provider Invoicing and Reporting (HCPIR). Previously invoices were hand-written or filled in online via a pdf form and faxed (eventually changed to e-mail) to ICBC for submission. This new portal allows us to do everything digitally, including requests for treatment extensions and filling out our discharge information.

All of the new rules and information can be found on ICBC’s website by clicking this link.

We are all set up with the new system and have been using it effectively.

What do you need to bring to us if you’ve had a car accident, and have an ICBC claim? Please inform the person booking your appointment of the following: your date of motor vehicle accident, your claim number, and your adjuster’s information if you have it. Whether you are a new patient or an existing patient, the first treatment in after an MVA will be used to assess the situation, discuss a treatment plan, and begin implementing it. During this process please be completely frank with your massage therapist about what you are feeling, what body changes happen, and how your body feels during and after treatment, and in the days between your next treatment. We look forward to being a partner in your care!

Welcoming Miriam Panert!

We are excited to welcome our newest RMT to the Ethel Street Therapeutic family starting December 3rd. Miriam joins us after graduating in 2017 from the Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy. She found her passion for massage therapy after seeing the help it gave her family, and receiving its benefits herself when she was in need.

She is accepting new patients and will start out on Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 am to 7 pm.

Please join us in welcoming her by calling and booking an appointment!

Amy Fairman now serves a variety of insurances!

Our newest RMT is dedicated to making sure that she can provide treatment to a wide variety of patients, and has worked diligently to make sure she’s partnered with government health and private insurance plans to meet required needs. So what can she do?

Amy is a registered ICBC provider, so if you’ve been in a car accident and have an ICBC claim she is able to bill part of your visit to your ICBC claim.

She is a registered MSP provider with Health Insurance BC! If you get assistance with your health premiums, you may be eligible for MSP to cover a portion of 10 of your visits per year.

She is a registered Blue Cross provider! Blue Cross handles government affairs such as the RCMP and Department of Veteran’s Affairs, so Amy is equipped to bill to Blue Cross for RCMP and Veteran treatment. She can also bill Blue Cross for private insurance!

Not on the list? Don’t worry, Amy has registered with many other insurance companies and is in the process of finalizing those accounts. Ask the office and we can let you know how far out it is before we can direct bill to your insurance. In the meantime why not come in for a first appointment and get set up!