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Welcome to our hospital

We know that choosing where to receive care after a life-changing illness or injury is an important decision for you and your loved ones. At Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast, we are committed to helping you get back to what matters most. Located in Vero Beach, we are a leading provider of inpatient rehabilitation for stroke, brain injury, hip fracture and other complex neurological and orthopedic conditions.

When you choose Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast for your rehabilitation, you receive compassionate care from an expert team of physical, occupational and speech therapists; physicians; nurses; dietitians; pharmacists; and case managers who work together to create a plan to help you meet your unique goals.

At our hospital you will receive:

  • Three hours of therapy, five days per week
  • 24/7 nursing care, including nurses who specialize in rehabilitation
  • Frequent visits from a physician*

*We provide access to independent physicians.

Better rehabilitation starts here

Each patient’s recovery is different. At Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast, our expert clinicians combine the latest technologies, real-world simulations and advanced therapies into a treatment plan that helps you achieve what’s important to you. Our specialties include but are not limited to:

 

 

Superior Amenities at Our Hospitals

Televisions

Telephones

Free WiFi

Courtyard

80 Beds

Nonsmoking

Interpreter services

Cafeteria

Day room

Tours available

Support groups

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What to Expect

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Our Hospital

We deliver connected care and superior outcomes through our state-of-the-art inpatient rehabilitation hospital.

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We Proudly Display Our Gold Seal of Approval™

Stroke Rehabilitation

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in stroke rehabilitation.

Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in brain injury rehabilitation.

Leadership and staff

Michael Morrical
MICHAEL MORRICAL

Chief Executive Officer

Mike has served as chief executive officer for Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast since December 2020.

Mike has served as chief executive officer for Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast since December 2020. For 18 years prior to assuming the role of chief executive officer, Mike served in various senior leadership roles in acute care hospital systems. Most recently, he served as president of a tertiary acute care hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Mike earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and his master’s degree in health administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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Jimmy Lockhart
Jimmy Lockhart, M.D.

Medical Director

Dr. Jimmy Lockhart is the chief medical officer and medical director at Encompass Health Treasure Coast Rehabilitation Hospital.

Dr. Jimmy Lockhart is the chief medical officer and medical director at Encompass Health Treasure Coast Rehabilitation Hospital. A graduate of Meharry Medical College, Dr. Lockhart completed his physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at Louisiana State University in New Orleans. He is board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Dr. Lockhart is an independent private practice physician.

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Dawn Bucaj
Dawn Bucaj, RN, BSN

Business Development Director

Dawn has more than 25 years experience in clinical healthcare management.

Dawn has more than 25 years of progressive experience in clinical healthcare management expertise with focus in the areas of business development, marketing and physician relations. A graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, Dawn began her career in the operating room and recovery room which she enjoyed for many years, providing direct patient care. Dawn serves as the director of business development overseeing all aspects of marketing and admission operations. She has been employed with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital since 2014. Dawn is a member of the Florida Organization of Nurse Executives.

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Christine Delong
Christine Delong

Hospital HIPAA Officer

Christine DeLong has been part of the Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast team since May 2000.

Christine DeLong has been part of the Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast team since May 2000. Shortly after, she became the hospital HIPAA officer (HHO). The most important function of an HHO is to be the hospital employees’ real time resource for HIPAA-related questions, concerns, and information. Christine is an advocate for HIPAA through various activities to maintain employee awareness is critical to a successful HIPAA privacy program. The HHO also plays a crucial role in relaying important information to and from the corporate privacy office. Participation in many of the functions noted above, she assists with reporting and investigating any potential/confirmed HIPAA violations helps to ensure an effective program.

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Kevin Hardy
Kevin Hardy

Chief Financial Officer

Kevin serves as the chief financial officer for Encompass Health Treasure Coast Rehabilitation Hospital.

Kevin serves as the chief financial officer for Encompass Health Treasure Coast Rehabilitation Hospital. He has more than 23 years of progressive financial and administrative experience ranging from large, for-profit medical-surgical and specialty hospitals, to both large and small nonprofit community health systems where he was responsible for all the financial reporting, regulatory reporting, and facility operational management reporting and control. While at Encompass Health Treasure Coast, Kevin has held the positions of controller, regional controller and, briefly, was responsible for the operational duties as interim administrator. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

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Lisa Kuh
Lisa Kuh

Chief Nursing Officer

Lisa joined Encompass Health Treasure Coast as a licensed practical nurse with both acute care and rehabilitation background.

Lisa joined Encompass Health Treasure Coast in October, 2007 as a licensed practical nurse with both acute care and rehabilitation background. Lisa is a long time resident of Vero Beach and a local graduate of Indian River State College where she earned her associate degree in nursing. She is a certified rehabilitation registered nurse and completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing and master’s degree in nursing leadership from Western Governors University.

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Karrie Mutterback
Karrie Mutterback

Director of Case Management

Karrie has been employed at Encompass Health Southern Hills since May 2011.

Karrie has been employed at Encompass Health Southern Hills since May 2011. She has more than 14 years of case management experience, with focus in the areas of discharge planning, utilization review, ethics, and patient advocacy. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Greensboro College, she began her career in the social work field. Karrie is a licensed social worker in the state of West Virginia.

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Lauren Pfisterer
Lauren Pfisterer

Director of Quality & Risk

Lauren began her career with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast in 2014 as a registered nurse.

Lauren began her career with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast in 2014 as a registered nurse. She most recently served as the hospital's patient assessment standards coordinator. A native of Oklahoma, Lauren originally earned a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Oklahoma State University. Soon after, she relocated to Florida where she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Remington College. Because of her passion for interdisciplinary collaboration, Lauren has elected to work in an acute rehabilitation setting for her entire nursing career, beginning at the Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation. A committed life-long learner, Lauren is currently pursuing her master’s degree in business administration from Barry University.

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Theresa Smith
Theresa Smith

Director of Therapy Operations

Theresa began her career with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast in 2010 as an occupational therapist.

Theresa began her career with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast in 2010 as an occupational therapist. She has more than 25 years of experience working in a therapy setting. Theresa received her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Wales in 2003. Her experiences have been varied, having the opportunity to work within inpatient, outpatient, hospice and home health environments on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Deidra Watts
Deidra Watts

Human Resources Director

Deidra brings 27 years of human resource experience to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast.

Deidra brings 27 years of human resource experience to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast with the last eight years being in healthcare. Before joining Encompass Health Treasure Coast she served as a regional HR business partner for a home health company. Deidra is current attending SNHU to obtain her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources.

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Donald Watts
Donald Watts

Plant Operations Director

Donald Watts joined the Encompass Health team in May 2015.

Donald Watts joined the Encompass Health team in May 2015. Donald brings more than 20 years of facilities and safety experience to the Treasure Coast hospital with the last twelve years in a director’s position. He studied business management at Sullivan college in Kentucky and is a veteran of the United States Navy with multiple sea deployments on the aircraft carrier USS Constellation CV-64. After getting out of the US military in 1999 he started his career in healthcare.

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