SPRING HILL — Facing possible overcrowding, the HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Spring Hill is poised to expand.
HealthSouth has proposed a plan to the Hernando County Planning and Zoning Commission that would add 35 beds and remodel a 67,154-square-foot area at the hospital.
"We're at capacity right now," said HealthSouth CEO Lori Bedard. "We'd like to have (the beds) here by October to better serve our patients."
The expansion would mean a total of 105 beds at the facility on Cortez Boulevard near Mariner Boulevard. If the special exception use permit is approved by the board on Monday, the plan could go before the County Commission for final approval, if that board chooses to review it.
Last year, HealthSouth added 10 beds, which cost nearly $2 million.
Bedard said the expansion should cost "significantly less" because the hospital will be using existing resources and utilities, which require no off-site or on-site improvements. The expansion also does not involve any construction or modification of the area.
"We are working with what we already have," Bedard said.
Each of the 35 new beds will be in the existing structure at HealthSouth, but some minor changes may be needed, according the proposal. Next week's proposal is not the first change to affect HealthSouth this year. The hospital's billing office moved to a building at 16110 Aviation Loop in April.
Ryan Strong can be reached at rstrong@sptimes.com or at (352) 848-1432.
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