Team Health Care Center: Rapid Return Rehabilitation!

~Troy Hutchinson Administrator

The dramatic new construction taking place on the St. Leonard campus is getting a lot of well-deserved attention these days. At the same time, however, some less visible – but equally exciting – changes are underway just across the street.

Within Health and Rehab Center (HRC), the Rapid Return Rehabilitation Wing is undergoing a thorough renovation and expansion. This ambitious project will result in more and larger patient rooms, an updated interior design, and amenities to make the patient experience even better.

The center, which occupies dedicated space within The Healthcare Center, serves both St. Leonard residents and patients from the surrounding community.Many patients turn to the center for short-term support when recovering from an injury or illness, or to develop strategies for managing a chronic condition.

The center's Chattanooga Therapeutic Modality Program emphasizes strength and mobility to help patients achieve a faster and more complete recovery. In fact, nearly 90 percent of patients are discharged from the center directly to their homes. Patients don't have to go it

alone after their departure, however. The center offers outpatient therapy, home evaluations, and assistance ordering any equipment needed for continued recovery and long-term wellness at home.

The current renovation and expansion will build on these strengths while allowing the center to offer enhanced services and even better quality care, according to Troy Hutchinson, St. Leonard administrator."This will support our efforts to continue evolving into a premier rehabilitation program," Hutchinson said. "Our capacity will increase to an additional 16 private rooms, which will allow more patients to take advantage of our very progressive,

outcomes-based short-term therapy."

This therapy is provided by a diverse team of highly skilled medical professionals, including physical, occupational, and speech therapists, as well as experienced nurses on duty round-the-clock, 365days per year. This team works with each patient and his or her physicians to

develop a personalized treatment plan based on individual needs and goals.

Anton Vasiliu, M.D., who has served as St. Leonard's medical director for more than a decade, is enthusiastic about the coming upgrades. "The expansion will bring exciting new

touches to the community at St. Leonard," Vasiliu said. "It will improve the quality of the residents' life by adding modern-day conveniences and make the center even more comfortable and welcoming for patients."

"The construction going on outside of HRC will ultimately benefit patients of the rehabilitation center as well," Hutchinson said. Being so close to the new wellness center will give patients convenient access to all of the center's state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for their therapy programs.