Hanger Orthopedic Group Inc., of Bethesda, Md., which owns Schindler's Orthotic & Prosthetics and Riessen's Orthotic & Prosthetic Services here, plans to change the name of both those operations to Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics starting early next year.

Hanger owns and operates 669 patient-care centers in 45 states and the District of Columbia, and has more than 3,700 employees including 1,095 practitioners.

In addition to the name changes, the Maryland company also has decided to move the Riessen's office, located at 412 W. Boone, to 212 E. Central, near Providence Holy Family Hospital, to serve patients in that part of the Spokane area better, says Donald Meng, the manager of both Schindler's and Riessen's.

The Schindler's office, located at 124 E. Pacific, is less than two miles from the current Riessen's office, so having the new Hanger office on Central Avenue will improve customer access, says Meng. Schindler's was established here in 1916, he says.

Hanger purchased the assets of Schindler's in 2000. The Schindler's office occupies roughly 6,000 square feet of leased floor space. The new location for Riessen's will have more than 2,000 square feet of leased space.

Construction to prepare the new space is expected to be completed by early January, after which Hanger will move its Boone Avenue office there, he says. Riessen's is a longtime provider of orthotics and prosthetics and services here, Meng says. Hanger purchased the assets of Riessen's about a year ago, Meng says.

Riessen's and Schindler's have a combined 15 employees, and share some personnel, Meng says.