Sacred Heart Inpatient Rehabilitation opens in Pensacola

The Ascension Sacred Heart Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility in Pensacola, Florida is now open, providing advanced rehabilitation care for patients recovering from serious injury, illness, stroke and complex medical conditions.

We spoke with Zach Kirby, an administrator of the new Ascension Sacred Heart Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility, about the services now available to patients and families in the Pensacola community.

What does the opening of this new facility mean for the community?

This facility expands access to specialized inpatient rehabilitation care for patients recovering from life-changing injuries and illnesses. As a Level I Trauma Center and Comprehensive Stroke Center, Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola is uniquely positioned to provide seamless care from hospitalization through rehabilitation, all within one connected healthcare system.

This continuity of care allows our teams to work closely together to support recovery and improve patient outcomes.

What conditions are treated at the facility?

We provide rehabilitation services for a variety of medically complex conditions, including:

• Amputation care and prosthetic fitting
• Brain injury
• Neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Guillain-Barre' syndrome (GBS), Parkinson's disease, Polyneuropathy and other neurodegenerative conditions.
• Orthopedic injuries and post-surgical repair
• Pulmonary Disease, End-Stage Renal disease and severely impaired cardiac conditions who qualify for intensive rehabilitation services.
• Spinal cord injury and impairment
• Stroke
• Severe cardiac conditions that qualify for intensive rehabilitation

Each patient receives an individualized treatment plan based on their specific recovery goals and needs.

What makes inpatient rehabilitation different?

Our program provides intensive, coordinated rehabilitation care led by a multidisciplinary team of specialists. Patients participate in three hours of therapy each day designed to improve strength, mobility, communication, cognitive function and independence.

We also focus on family education, discharge planning, psychosocial support and helping patients safely transition back to their homes and communities.

What rehabilitation services are available?

We offer comprehensive physical, occupational and speech therapy services.

Physical therapy focuses on gait training, balance, mobility, strength and neurological rehabilitation. 

Occupational therapy helps patients regain independence with everyday activities such as dressing, bathing and meal preparation, while also providing home simulation training and adaptive equipment evaluations.

Speech therapy services support patients with communication, cognition and swallowing disorders through cognitive rehabilitation, dysphagia therapy, FEES testing, modified barium swallow exams and voice therapy.

What can patients and families expect during their stay?

Our dedicated team of doctors and rehabilitation care team will guide your care from admission to discharge. We offer convenient on-site medical specialist consultations, diagnostic testing and procedures through our hospital based rehabilitation service.

During your stay, you will benefit from:

• A focus on community re-entry and comprehensive home safety assessments
• An individualized treatment plan with three hours of intensive therapy daily
• Emphasis on discharge planning, family education, treatment for psychosocial adjustment following physical and mental impairment.
• Fully private patient rooms

The rooms include specialized accommodations to support patients needing a larger bed for comfort and recovery. Families are encouraged to remain actively involved throughout the rehabilitation process because caregiver support is an important part of successful recovery.

What message would you like to share with the community?

We are excited to bring this advanced level of inpatient rehabilitation care to Pensacola and the surrounding region. Our goal is to help patients recover with dignity, compassion, and expert clinical care while supporting families throughout every stage of the rehabilitation journey.

Learn more about our new inpatient rehabilitation facility.