Treatment Team

The multidisciplinary treatment team of MedifitReha

We engage various specialised practitioners for your multidisciplinary treatment. Together with the rehabilitation doctor, they form your treatment team. The team is under the final responsibility of the rehabilitation doctor. Our team of therapists consists of more than twenty therapists complemented by a team of ten doctors and specialists.

The members of our treatment team are in close contact with each other. This means that consultation can take place quickly and multidisciplinary consultations are held every week. All this ensures good cooperation between the various disciplines. The protocol can therefore be adapted very quickly to your current situation, thus guaranteeing the best possible recovery.

Dr. Francisco Cholbi – Rehabilitation doctor

Dr Francisco Cholbi studied Medicine and Surgery at the University of Valencia and the Université de Lausanne from 1998 to 2004. He was admitted as an intern in Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine at the Hospital General Universitario de Alicante and obtained the specialization in 2009.
Since 2010 he has been working as a rehabilitation doctor at the Medifit Reha Clinic, combining his activity at the General Hospital of Alicante.
He also has a master’s in Interventional Ultrasound, his speciality is comprehensive rehabilitation in fields such as neurological and oncological rehabilitation, pain treatment and child rehabilitation.
He has a special interest in regenerative medicine and treatments with PRP and botulinum toxin used for pain and to improve the rehabilitation process.
Author of publications, lectures and communications in courses and congresses of the speciality. Currently, he continues with his scientific and training activity.

Dr Mart Jan Rongen – Medical Director

Dr. Rongen is an experienced surgeon with a recognised track record in medical practice. He works in Oncology, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and General Surgery. He graduated from Utrecht University and received his PhD from Maastricht University.

Miguel Martorell Schonenberg – Managing Director

After completing his economic/management studies, he chose to take a different path. The Erasmus exchange programme in Valencia only increased his interest in Spain. After his studies, he worked in Tilburg and Eindhoven before heading off to work in rehabilitation centres in London and Italy (Milan). There, he specialised in various disciplines of rehabilitation. In 2000 he went to the Costa Blanca to start his own physical therapy practice, which has grown into the rehabilitation centre Medifit Reha.
Miguel has completed several master’s degrees in manual therapy, chiropractic’s and rehabilitation and regularly attends refresher courses and seminars to keep up to date with developments in rehabilitation medicine.
His mission and ambition is to provide patients with highly qualified care and efficient rehabilitation in order to help them participate in society as soon as possible. He started the rehabilitation centre based on the philosophy that rehabilitation always aims to achieve the maximum possible independence and autonomy and to reintegrate the patient with their specific limitations into society.
In addition, he is engaged in the continuous development and improvement of our treatment programmes with a focus on innovation and active patient participation.

Gerard Krol – general manager

Gerard is a manual therapist, sports physiotherapist, specialist in pulmonary rehabilitation and in temporomandibular therapy and has a master’s degree in acupuncture. He has gained a lot of experience in different physiotherapeutic practices and rehabilitation centres in Europe. He has also studied business administration, sports economics, and marketing. Being able to contribute to someone’s health is what he values about working in the healthcare sector.

Dr Laura van Lochum – Cardiologist

Dr. van Lochem was trained as a cardiologist in the Netherlands, specialising in hereditary (familial) heart diseases. Dr. van Lochem has been working in Spain for several years.

To keep up with the latest techniques and treatments, and to meet the European guidelines for cardiologists, Dr. van Lochem is continuously learning.

As a cardiologist she feels it is important to have a good and open contact with her patients. The patient is the focal point and time is always made for the patient to tell his or her story. For the cardiologist, it is very important to understand the medical background of the patient, so that a correct diagnosis can be made, combined with the right treatment. Dr. Van Lochem explains the clinical picture and treatment in a comprehensible language and is closely involved in your rehabilitation treatment.

Berrie Gerrits – Psychotherapist / GZ-Psychologist

Berrie’s working method is characterised by a concrete and clear approach, aimed at strengthening the client’s own abilities in the here-and-now. He combines conversations with cognitive training for attention, concentration, working memory, intellectual skills and stimulation processing.

Besides working at Medifit Reha, he has his own practice and teaches at LerendBrein (Jungle Memory, Acoustic Pioneer, RaiseYourIQ), he gives lectures and workshops and is a freelance lecturer at the HAN and Saxion University.

Evelien von Eije – Psychologist

As a psychologist she has experience in treating and assessing children, adolescents, and adults. She likes to use psychological tests to write a readable report with practical tips for daily life. This report can then be used as a manual for dealing with any problems experienced.

She works with different methods, mainly cognitive behavioural therapy, if required she also adds other methodologies in the treatment.

Within the sessions, it is possible to shape the intensity of the treatment, from a more coaching approach to a therapeutic treatment.
Her working method is mainly practical. She finds it important to connect with the client and her motto is therefore: “Doing what works!”

Marjolein Nieuwpoort – Physiotherapist

Marjolein is a certified Dutch physiotherapist. She has more than 20 years of professional experience in the neurological and orthopaedic field of rehabilitation. In her career she has also gained a considerable amount of experience with COPD rehabilitation. Before coming to Spain, she worked abroad for 5 years, treating patients of different nationalities and all kinds of conditions.

Apart from Rehabilitation, Marjolein has a lot of experience in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. She combines mobilisation therapy with active therapeutic exercises and has a strong focus on movement and self-treatment.

“Rehabilitation and recovery after injury or chronic illness is hard work for the patient. Part of my job is to guide, stimulate and motivate the patient. With knowledge, the right treatment and good communication with the patient, the recovery will be far more effective!”

In 2018, Marjolein completed an intensive neurological course focused on Stroke, MS, ALS, and other central neurological disorders and in 2019 she completed the dry needling course. In her career she has done many courses in all different fields which ensures that she has a wide range of experience.

Rafael Abbott – physiotherapist / health scientist

Rafa is a physiotherapist and has a master’s degree in sports science. He has over 20 years of experience in physiotherapy, both in sports physiotherapy and in the field of rehabilitation. In addition, he has a specialisation in health sciences and has extensive experience and qualifications in neurological rehabilitation, nutritional education, hydrotherapy, orthopaedic rehabilitation both traumatic, pre-, and post-operative, manual therapy techniques, functional taping (kinesiotaping – course leader), neurological treatment by Hippotherapy, lung physiotherapy and psychomorphology. All this is aimed at treating the patients as well as possible. His passion lies in active rehabilitation, and he has been the manager of the rehabilitation and exercise room since 2006. He is a top athlete, and his biggest hobby is trail running (running in the mountains), in which he achieves top positions in the most extreme races such as the UTMB Montblanc (175km).

Victoria Richmond – physiotherapist

Victoria graduated in physiotherapy at the University of San Juan de Alicante in 2014; she immediately started working at a football team (Calpe) where she gained experience in the field of sports for two years. During this period, she also started working at Medifit Reha, dealing with different patient profiles. Her interest was in manual therapy and functional active exercise with the patients.

She completed the master’s degree in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy based on the Maitland concept; meanwhile, she also completed the course in conservative and invasive physiotherapy for myofascial pain syndrome. In addition to this specialisation, she has gained experience in orthopaedic, cardiac, pulmonary, and neurological rehabilitation during her years here.

Victoria points out, however, that “a large part of the patient’s recovery is down to them; we only guide, teach and advise according to the personal needs of each individual”.

In addition to therapy, Victoria explains the theories behind the mechanisms of pain so that patients actually understand what is occurring and the reasons behind our recommended guidelines or treatments.

Mariana Alén González – Osteopath (physiotherapist)

Mariana is a graduated physiotherapist that went directly to study Osteopathy at the University UMH Elche and obtained her Master´s in Osteopathy in 2017. Furthermore, she specialised in neurodynamic and taping. Currently, she is further specialising in ultrasound and invasive physiotherapy.

She began her career in sports physiotherapy at different clubs and then started working in different physiotherapy practices. She has now been working as an osteopath in our rehabilitation centre for many years with great pleasure. Her involvement with the patients and her knowledge which she constantly increases by following trainings, courses, and seminars, make her of great value. Besides, she has a great interest in nutrition, which is an important part of rehabilitation.

Cristina Vallés Martín – Physiotherapist

Graduated in physiotherapy at the University Miguel Hernández in San Juan (Alicante). After finishing her studies, she did several post-graduate courses such as Pilates, dry needling, sports physiotherapy and she specialized in tendinopathies. She works with great enthusiasm in the clinical department and especially in pulmonary and geriatric rehabilitation where her interests lie.

Daniela Plietz

She completed her training as a certified physiotherapist over 20 years ago in Germany.

Directly after completing her degree, she took the course in manual lymph drainage.

For her, physiotherapy involves working according to a holistic concept, and so she undertook further training in equipment-assisted physiotherapy, manual therapy, back training, and various massage techniques.

Her motivation has always been to promote and strengthen each patient’s abilities and skills and thus make a valuable contribution to their quality of life.

She increasingly began treating neurological patients in our rehabilitation centre, so in 2018 she embarked on a certain reorientation and challenge. She has since completed a Masters in Neurological Rehabilitation at the University of Valencia. Grateful for all this knowledge and to have learned different treatment strategies. She is now working on a specialisation within neurological rehabilitation, invasive electrical stimulation through the brain.

Cas van Voorthuizen – Manual therapist

Cas is a manual therapist with a great deal of experience in physiotherapy. For years he had his own practice in Madrid. We are very pleased that he shares his experience within our rehabilitation centre.

Vicent Camarena – physiotherapist

We came to know Vicent during our internship at the University of Valencia and the University Hospital “La Fe”. He has been working in the rehabilitation centre Medifit Reha since 2012 and is very proud to be part of the international team of Medifit Reha. Just like the other members who offer treatments in Medifit, he makes every effort to offer the best and latest treatments to the patients. He specialises in Invasive Physiotherapy, including Dry Needling, Electrolyse, Neuromodulation and other ultrasound-guided therapies. These techniques are very effective for chronic pains such as tendinitis, muscle aches and sports injuries. Vicent speaks good English.

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Interested? Contact us now!

Many preceded you:

Debbie, the Netherlands

You can literally leave the daily worries at home and focus completely on your recovery, both mentally and physically. A great concept and great lovely people! I have a goal again and see the future a bit, it was zero for this adventure!

Jos Jansen, the Netherlands

I trained hard with the therapists for 8 weeks. As a result, I now have much more stamina. I also feel much better. The healthy air on the Costa Blanca has also helped.

Nanda, the Netherlands

Really, what a fantastic rehabilitation center! Just got back 2.5 weeks after hip surgery. What a professional and lovely beautiful people! Highly recommended for anyone who gets "no" aftercare here, I recommend: go to Spain and Medifit ... health insurers reimburse this. Fantastic team!!

Esther, the Netherlands

From the first moment that my wife Esther came to Spain to the last moment she was taken care of. Esther's recovery has been worked on both physically and spiritually and with success! We have never regretted it and will recommend it to anyone!

Mildred May, The Hague

I was made to feel very comfortable by the lovely caring therapists. I also stayed in a nice apartment where I got some rest. These 6 weeks have made me a lot stronger and more confident.

Klaas Jan Hindriks - Foreign Correspondent NOS, the Netherlands

Your organization and treatment center is not only distinguished by its medical knowledge, but above all by the dedication and inspiring support of the extremely experienced employees.

Henny Vissers - Witte, the Netherlands

For all fellow sufferers, no matter how sad the circumstances are, when you visit the rehabilitation clinic in Moraira, you can learn a lot with the cooperation of this fantastic team of therapists, both physically and mentally!