Monette Frye, rehab director, and staff explain therapies to be provided in the new rehab center.
Wake Forest Baptist Health-Lexington Medical Center
To Expand Rehabilitation Services
LEXINGTON, NC (April 11, 2012)-Wake Forest Baptist Health Lexington Medical Center soon will begin construction on a $1.7 million project to expand and modernize rehabilitation services.
The project will centralize physical, speech and occupational therapy in one location in the Business Services Complex on the campus. The new space is approximately 10,000 square feet, triple the current space scattered among four locations in the Medical Center.
"This project will enable Lexington Medical Center to offer residents of Davidson County a modern, well equipped facility to recover from injury or illness so they can return to their normal lifestyle," said Donny Lambeth, president.
With the expansion, Lexington Medical Center can increase the number of daily patient visits from 80 to approximately 100. "We have been operating at capacity for several years," said Lambeth. Approximately 25 employees work in the rehab department, and that number is expected to grow with the increase of patients.
Funds for the project are coming from the Lexington Medical Center Foundation and Wake Forest Baptist Health. "We are grateful for the Foundation's generous support and the service that our Foundation Board has provided through activities that the community has supported financially over the years," Lambeth said.
"The Foundation has designated rehab services as its top priority for several years," said Sara DeLapp, chair, "and we are excited to have played a part in making this dream a reality." Funds from Sportsmen's Saturday, the golf tournament and other activities have been allocated for this project. Employees also have given money toward the rehab project.
Wake Forest Baptist Health has matched funds over $10,000 received by the Foundation and given to the Medical Center since the affiliation began with Lexington Memorial Hospital in October, 2008. The result has been $1.2 million from Wake Forest Baptist in donations to Lexington Medical Center.
"Rehabilitation services always have been one of the greatest assets of our hospital, with a broad range of services and outstanding staff," said Gordon Kammire, M.D., of Lexington Orthopedic Clinic. "We are very pleased with plans for this facility, which will be a great asset for the medical staff and our community."
The Rehab Center will include a gym with state-of-the-art equipment and a walking track for patients needing exercise to regain strength and improve their balance as part of their rehabilitation. "The gym will become the focus of our physical therapy program, helping patients recover from illnesses such as stroke, from joint replacement surgery and from injuries to muscles and nerves," said Monette Frye, director of rehab services.
Around the gym will be five private evaluation rooms and nine treatment rooms. "Our patients will have the privacy they deserve in this new space," said Frye.
Occupational therapy patients will have their own space and also will use the gym. There are separate rooms for speech therapy.
"Many of our patients require two or more of the therapies," she said. "By centralizing these services, we will improve convenience for patients, and we will have more therapy time with them." The central location will improve communication among staff in developing care plans for patients
A therapy pool also will be in the center.
Rehab Services will have an area dedicated to treating children who need various therapies. In addition, there will be a room for community education.
"Our staff is top notch," Frye says, with 20 licensed therapists, who have experience in special areas such as stroke, lymphedema, vertigo and McKenzie back treatments. A Lexington native, Frye has worked for the Medical Center for 31 years.
Construction is expected to begin in April and take approximately six months.
Media Relations Contact:
Kathy Sushereba:
ksushere@wakehealth.edu, 336-238-4552