Health & Wellness
HCA Florida West Cuts Ribbon on $500,000 Outdoor Rehab Space
The putting green, pickleball court and uneven-terrain walking paths are part of a broader $23.5 million investment the hospital has poured into its rehabilitation unit.
HCA Florida West’s rehabilitation center held a ribbon cutting last week for a new outdoor physical therapy area that hospital officials say is already changing how patients recover. The space includes a basketball hoop, a putting green, a pickleball court and a series of surfaces designed to mimic real-world obstacles, from grass and gravel to curbs, ramps, inclines and even sand.
Dr. Christopher Burton, medical director of the rehab center, joined me on Rick’s Blog Live to talk about the new area and what it means for patients working their way back to independence.
Built to Mimic Real Life
The idea behind the space is simple: a treadmill can rebuild strength, but it can’t test whether a patient can step off a curb, cross a gravel driveway or navigate a ramp in a wheelchair. The outdoor area lets therapists put patients through those exact scenarios before they ever leave the hospital.
“You can go anywhere and walk on a treadmill, but where are you gonna get to go walk outside, get to test your patient, make sure that they can do everything they need to do.” — Dr. Christopher Burton
Burton said the hospital is certified in stroke, brain injury and spinal cord rehabilitation, and the neuro rehab patients are among those who benefit most. But the outdoor area also serves a steady stream of patients recovering from hip fractures and hip replacements, some of whom are simply relearning how to walk, and others who are working to get back to pickleball or golf.
Above the National Average
The results are showing up in the numbers. Burton said 85 percent or more of the center’s patients return home after treatment, well above the national average of roughly 70 percent for most rehab facilities.
By the Numbers
- $23 million invested in new private inpatient rehab rooms
- $500,000 invested in the new outdoor therapy space
- 85%+ of patients discharged home, versus a 70% national average
A Space That Builds Confidence, Not Just Strength
Burton pointed to one patient in particular: a bilateral amputee who used the new putting green on opening day and won the facility’s first outdoor therapy challenge. He said moments like that show patients that a setback doesn’t have to define what comes next.
The mental benefit matters as much as the physical one. Burton said patients who never practice navigating real-world terrain before going home tend to be anxious about it. Testing those skills outdoors, in a controlled setting, gives them the confidence to attempt it on their own once they’re discharged.
