By Kyle LoJacono
Everyone who is a part of building NuVista Care Communities at Lutz Center thinks it will change the way people perceive therapy in the area.
“There isn’t anything else like this anywhere,” said Michael Holzum, Palm Health Partners vice president of human recourses. “We’re a new company and what we’re going to offer is something that is lacking in healthcare today.”
Palm Health will operate the facility, which is being built at 19091 N. Dale Mabry, as one of three NuVista Care Communities in Florida.
“There’s a gap in coverage for those who couldn’t go straight home after a hospital visit, but didn’t need to go to a long-term rehab center,” Holzum said. “This will allow better treatment for those people.”
The 120-bed, 550,000-square-foot center is scheduled to open to the public by the end of May and will bring about 150 jobs to the area, according to Holzum. Residents will stay at the facility for three to six weeks.
“The kind of things we’ll be treating here are people recovering from falls or other physical injuries, heart-related problems, strokes or anything that requires some rehabilitation to get back to 100 percent,” Holzum said.
Holzum said one of the biggest problems with current rehabilitation care is patients having to be readmitted to a hospital. He said that usually happens because the patient has some change in condition, or their doctor becomes concerned and wants to give more direct care.
“We have several ways to reduce the chance that someone has to go back to a hospital,” Holzum said. “During the first 48 hours, we monitor them even closer because that’s when they are more likely to have a change in condition.
“Also, doctors will be able to check the current status of any patient they have here because everything we do is electronic,” Holzum continued. “When we take their temperature or blood pressure, it goes into the electronic file. Doctors can even see their patient through Skype. It will be like the doctor is at their bedside without having to be in a hospital.”
Additionally, Holzum said there will be about one registered nurse for every six patients to keep a close eye on everyone in treatment.
The technology that will be used does not end with Skype and electronic records. Everyone, including staff and visitors, will have badges so personnel can follow them in the building.
“That helps with security, but also so we know where all the patients are in case we need to find them,” Holzum said. “We can follow all our equipment the same way so we can see where something is if we need it to treat someone or if we need to order more because of demand.”
Those badges will also tell patients the name of anyone who enters their room on a television mounted on the wall.
Anthony Fago, vice president of development, said he has been in construction for decades and has not ever seen a facility like this one.
“Even just the center courtyard we’re building is amazing,” Fago said. “It’s 100 square feet and will be a beautiful area for the patients to see and enjoy. … We are also designing every room to let as much sunlight in as possible.”
Holzum said of using sunlight, “We know that sunlight and nature helps patients heal better and faster, so we are getting those elements into the facility wherever we can.”
The facility will have 16 private rooms and 52 shared rooms where two patients will be separated by a curtain. Each bed will have a harness to lift patients when he or she needs to get up to avoid accidental falls.
“People falling while moving around are one of the most common ways they can be forced back to a hospital,” Holzum said. “This eliminates any chance of that.”
Holzum said the harness systems also protect caregivers, who usually have shoulder, back and other chronic pain problems from lifting and supporting patients.
The center’s exercise room will also use a harness to help with rehabilitation.
“It will have this thing that will let the caregiver allow them to walk with just 10 pounds, 15 pounds or whatever amount of weight on their legs to help them get used to walking again,” Fago said. “They also won’t be able to fall, and caregivers won’t have to support them because the harness is impossible to fall out of.”
Rehab also involves doing everyday things like laundry, cooking and cleaning with special appliances.
Holzum said the center is in the process of reaching out to area hospitals, such as St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, University Community Hospital and University Community Hospital-Carrollwood. He said as soon as they open they will likely be full because, “There is a demand for us right now.”
The center will also work with area universities, including the University of South Florida, to teach medical students and give them hands on training.
“We hope to be a part of this community in Hillsborough and Pasco counties for a long time,” Holzum said. “We want to help new medical caregivers and they will also educate us on things they learn at the universities. It will help everyone.”
NuVista Care Communities at Lutz Center
Located at 19091 N. Dale Mabry in Lutz
550,260 square feet, 120 beds
Will employ 150 people
Set to open in May
