Inpatient physical rehabilitation care

After a serious injury, illness or surgery, you may need help recovering. We can help.

HCA Florida West Hospital is home to West Florida Rehabilitation Institute, the Gulf Coast’s most comprehensive physical rehabilitation hospital. When you come to us for recovery, our goal is to help you return to maximum independence under the guidance of a team of physicians and staff dedicated to your needs.

About West Florida Rehabilitation Center

HCA Florida West Rehabilitation Center was founded in 1977 and has served the community for over 40 years. Our mission is to help individuals recover and regain strength after experiencing brain injuries, strokes, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic conditions or general illnesses.

Accredited rehabilitative care

HCA Florida West Hospital Rehabilitation Center’s program is accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International (CARF International) in Adult and Brain Injury Specialties and stroke certified through The Joint Commission — disease-specific designation program. We are also proud to be certified in Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury by the State of Florida.

We offer inpatient rehabilitative services for patients 18 years old and older with impairments resulting in activity limitations.

The program focuses on returning individuals to their maximum independence under the guidance of a team of physicians and professional staff dedicated to your recovery.

Learn more about CARF

Goals of our rehabilitation program

Treatment plans are individualized based on your needs, goals and cultural preferences. You will attend therapy for a minimum of three hours at least five days per week.

Our team strives to help you achieve the following:

Assisting with participation in recreational activities
Improving communication, problem-solving, memory and social interaction
Incorporating wellness and prevention as a part of life choices
Learning about and adjusting to any activity limitations
Regaining independence in functional activities, such as self-care and mobility
Returning to productive roles at home, workplace, school, and in the community
Serving as a resource in the community for persons with physical rehabilitation needs and caregivers
Training in the use of adaptive equipment to assist in becoming more functionally independent
Transitioning to home or another level of care

Our recovery team

While you are our patient, you will have a rehabilitation team assigned to you. The team will work with you and your family to help you make the most of your abilities. Based on your needs, your team may consist of the following professionals:

Case managers
Clinical rehab psychologists
Occupational therapists
Nurses with training and certification in rehabilitation nursing (CRRN)
Patient care technicians
Physiatrists
Physical therapists
Recreational therapists
Registered dietitians
Respiratory therapists
Speech/language pathologists

Candidates for inpatient rehabilitation

Candidates with a debilitating diagnosis of one or more of the following conditions are considered for our acute inpatient rehabilitation program:

Amputations
Arthritis, severe rheumatoid arthritis and severe osteoarthritis
Bilateral knee or hip joint surgery
Brain injury
Burns
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Congenital abnormality
Heart failure
Hip fractures
Major multiple trauma
Multiple sclerosis
Myasthenia gravis or other motor neuron-type diseases
Neurological disorders
Parkinson's disease
Polyneuropathy
Renal failure (dialysis)
Septicemia
Single knee and hip joint replacements
Spinal cord injury
Strokes
Other debilitating medical conditions

If you have one or more of these conditions, ask yourself these questions:

Decline from your original level of mobility or activities of daily living.
Would you be interested in a daily rehab program to return to your normal level of activity?
Do you need wound care, respiratory care, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube education, diabetics management and caregiver training?

If you are unsure whether you meet criteria for acute inpatient rehabilitation, please call (850) 494-6176 for an evaluation. Our fax is (844) 857-5516.

Inpatient rehabilitation insurance coverage

Our business office will verify insurance coverage for rehabilitation. The patient or family may need to be contacted during this process. If there are questions, the admission liaison will contact you. We are an approved provider for Medicare and Medicaid.

Additionally, we proudly support and care for our military veterans as a participating provider for Tricare and VA.

The Rehabilitation Center offers a comprehensive inpatient program consisting of:

Individualized therapy sessions
Adaptive aquatics
Community skills outings
Support group
Community reorientation therapy
Equipment recommendations
Medical consultants
Patient/family training/education
Outpatient driver evaluation/program
Home accessibility evaluation
Vestibular rehabilitation
Cognitive (brain) function rehabilitation to relearn and retrain your communication and understanding
Occupational therapy to relearn skills of daily living such as shower, dressing, eating, cooking, etc.
Physical therapy to strengthen your core, limbs, improve balance and ability to walk
Speech, language and swallowing therapy to assist with speech and swallowing issues, and cognitive function

Specialized therapies and technology at our inpatient center

Recreational therapy

Recreational therapy, or therapeutic recreation, includes educating you and your family on the importance of continuing leisure interests after discharge. During your inpatient stay, the recreational therapist will provide several services, including:

Adaptive sports/recreation
Assistance with peer mentors
Assistance with community resources
Community reintegration therapy
Leisure skill building and education
Practice of the skills you learn from other therapists to translate to real life settings

Wheelchair Seating Clinic

Selecting and purchasing a wheelchair has always been an important decision for individuals with physical disabilities. The right wheelchair must address comfort, proper fit, lifestyle, future mobility goals, and financial considerations.

We offer a Wheelchair Seating Clinic open to anyone needing a wheelchair. This includes people who want to upgrade their current wheelchair, people with a recent diagnosis who may benefit from an equipment consultation, and individuals with progressive disabilities who feel they may need improved adaptive equipment.

The individual may be assessed by a multidisciplinary team to determine his/her needs and preferences.

A referral from a Florida licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician's assistant is required.

The individual is responsible for choosing an assistive technology professional (ATP) vendor who will order the prescribed wheelchair. If the individual has no preferences, then an ATP vendor will be chosen on a rotational basis. When the wheelchair arrives, a free follow-up visit is encouraged to ensure proper fit and adjustment.