Morton Plant North Bay’s Mitchell Rehabilitation Hospital Expanding to Better Serve Patients

New Inpatient Rehab Unit to Open in February 2016

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla., (August 25, 2014) - Continuing to offer the highest quality health care in a patient-centered environment, another expansion project is under way at Morton Plant North Bay Hospital. The current 20-bed acute care Mitchell Rehabilitation Hospital, specializing in neurological and orthopedic inpatient rehabilitation, is being renovated and expanded to offer 30 new private patient rooms and additional space for patient treatment and therapy.

“Our new Mitchell rehab unit will allow for more space to provide specialized rehabilitation care for our patients,” said Michael Yungmann, President, Morton Plant North Bay Hospital. “Patients often stay between 12 to 14 days on average so it’s important we offer them privacy, comfort, and convenience during their recovery and healing process.”

The renovations also call for increased gym space since patients in acute rehabilitation receive on average three-to-five hours of therapy a day for physical, occupational, and speech therapies. The larger gym space with new technology and equipment will allow patients to receive their treatments in a more efficient, safe, and private environment. Another added feature of the Unit will be a training apartment to help prepare patients to simulate daily activities including laundry, dishes, making their bed, preparing meals, and taking a shower. There will be an outside course geared toward training patients to walk on different surfaces like gravel, mulch, brick, sand, curbs, ramps, and stairs.

The Mitchell Rehab Hospital is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and is the only CARF-accredited facility in Pasco and Hernando counties. “As the only CARF-accredited facility in the county, we believe we provide an excellent level of care that plays a key role in patients' recovery from strokes, joint replacement surgery, and more. With our new facility, our surroundings will better reflect our level of care,” said Yungmann. The Mitchell Rehab Hospital expansion project is scheduled to be complete in February 2016 and is expected to cost around $8.5 million.

Morton Plant North Bay Hospital has been expanding to a modern community-based medical complex since 2010. Last June, it opened a new surgical center featuring six larger, integrated operating suites to provide ample working space for advanced surgical procedures with high-tech equipment. The new surgical center and wing added 25,000 square feet to the hospital.

In 2011, the hospital added a new 9,750 square-foot cardiovascular center providing advanced imaging equipment and more space for heart care including elective and emergency heart catheterizations and angioplasties. In 2010, Morton Plant North Bay opened the four-story, 56,000 square-foot Starkey Medical Tower with all new private patient rooms and a three-story, 45,000 square-foot Medical Arts Building that doubled the size of the hospital campus.

About Morton Plant North Bay Hospital
Established in 1965, Morton Plant North Bay Hospital is a 154-bed facility committed to improving the health of everyone it serves. Morton Plant North Bay is awarded Magnet Designation for the second time by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the most prestigious national recognition of excellence in nursing care. Morton Plant North Bay has also received the Gold Seal of ApprovalTM for Primary Stroke Care from the Joint Commission. Morton Plant North Bay Hospital is located at 6600 Madison Street, New Port Richey, Fla.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare Health System is a leading community-based health system in the Tampa Bay area. Composed of a network of 10 not-for-profit hospitals, outpatient facilities and services such as imaging, lab, behavioral health and home health care, BayCare provides expert medical care throughout a patient’s lifetime. With more than 200 access points conveniently located throughout Tampa Bay, BayCare connects patients to a complete range of preventive, diagnostic and treatment services for any health care need.

BayCare’s family of hospitals are: Mease Countryside, Mease Dunedin, Morton Plant, Morton Plant North Bay, St. Anthony’s, St. Joseph’s, St. Joseph’s Children’s, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, St. Joseph’s Women’s, and South Florida Baptist. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.