CHARLOTTE, MI – Sparrow Eaton Hospital is proud to announce that occupational therapist Cole Christiansen, OT, CHT, recently earned the distinguished Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) certification from the Hand Therapy Certification Commission.

The certification is important for patients and allows Christiansen to expand his practice to more complex procedures, such as tendor repairs, tendon transfers and custom splinting.

“I pursued this certification because it is one of the highest standards one can achieve as a therapist,” Christiansen said. “I passed the test in one attempt, and it feels gratifying to see the hours of study cumulate into meeting my goal.”

Occupational therapists must work for a minimum of three years and attain a minimum of 4,000 hours working directly with the hand to be eligible to take the examination. The rigorous exam consists of a practical exam and a timed, multiple-choice exam.

“It is exciting to share Cole’s expertise with our region as well as add this skillset and assurance to our patients that we have the highest competency in the profession among our team here at AL!VE,” said Kim Dickinson, Director of AL!VE Clinical Services.

Christiansen is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he received his bachelor’s degree, as well as Indiana Wesleyan University where he received his doctorate in occupational therapy.  He also completed a residency project focused on rehabilitation and prosthetics.  Cole works full-time in EMPOWER, which encompasses Sparrow Eaton Hospital’s rehabilitation services at AL!VE. He specializes in orthopedic injuries and custom splinting for the upper extremity.

Those interested in occupational therapy with Christiansen, or one of the many highly skilled therapists at AL!VE, should speak to their provider about a referral.

EMPOWER serves patients from early morning through evening, Monday through Friday. For more information on rehabilitation or any clinical services at AL!VE, call 517.541.5800, option 2 or visit MyAlive.com.

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Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier healthcare organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia, and St. Johns, as well as Sparrow Specialty Hospital, Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group, and the Michigan Athletic Club. Sparrow is affiliated with Michigan Medicine through the Sparrow Children’s Center and with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of our 10,000 Caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and Patient experience. As a not-for-profit healthcare system, charitable support from individuals, corporations, and organizations to the Sparrow Foundation provides vital funding for the programs we deliver to strengthen our regions health and wellness. For more information, visit sparrow.org.