Halifax Health opens new pediatric rehabilitation therapy clinic

Ormond Beach Observer
News

Halifax Health celebrated the grand opening of its new pediatric rehabilitation outpatient clinic on Thursday, Nov. 30, which will provide physical, occupational and speech therapy all in one location.

The decision to open the clinic was decided earlier this year in May during a Halifax Health Board of Commissioners meeting, where the seven members unanimously voted to set aside $694,409 to establish it. The clinic will cater only to children ages 0-18, and the services will be provided by Brooks Rehabilitation. Members of the Easterseals pediatric therapy team have also joined the team, bringing with them an existing patient list.

Bev Johnson, CEO of Easterseals Northeast Central Florida, said the partnership with Halifax Health and Brooks Rehabilitation has allowed to sustain the program. Due to the changing insurance reimbursements, she said Easterseals wasn't in a position to sustain the rates and the patients. Instead of leaving a void in the medical needs of the community, they decided to partner with Halifax Health.

The occupational therapy room at Halifax Health's new pediatric rehabilitation therapy clinic. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

“We felt like we could still be part of their lives and their community," Johnson said.

Filling those voids is what these three medical providers are all about, said Jeff Feasel, CEO of Halifax Health.

“It’s not a huge money-making program—that’s not what this is about," Feasel said. "This is about providing service to our community.”

The need for pediatric therapy was outlined by Brooks Rehabilitation CEO Doug Baer, who said kids have specialized needs their pediatric therapists are trained to handle.

“You have to consider kids and how much they can tolerate—just the whole differences between us,” Baer said.

The partnerships are the critical pieces of the puzzle when it comes to programs like this, said Feasel.

"The mission of Halifax Health is to be the community health care leader and we do that through extremely talented people, keeping the community at the center of our focus and we have to do it in a financially-sustainable manner, and partnerships like these is what helps us sustain," Feasel said.