Families across Palm Beach County are racing to replace pediatric rehabilitation care after Bethesda Hospital announced it will end the services at three locations on Aug. 21. For children who rely on regular physical, occupational, feeding or speech therapy, the shutdown leaves just over two weeks to build a new care plan. The deadline is turning an ordinary scheduling problem into a medical scramble.
The affected sites are Bethesda Hospital East, Baptist Health City and Bethesda’s Wellington office. According to Baptist Health South Florida, existing appointments through Aug. 21 are expected to remain unaffected, while families will receive help with referrals, scheduling and medical-record transfers.
One Baby’s Therapy Plan Is Suddenly In Limbo
For 8-month-old Liam Palmer, the change threatens a carefully assembled treatment routine. Liam was born six weeks premature with clubfoot and arthrogryposis, a rare condition that affects joint mobility, and his family says he needs intensive specialized therapy.
His grandmother, Nicole Lee, told WPTV that Liam needs occupational, physical and feeding therapy, with speech therapy expected later. The family spent nearly a month in the NICU and then waited three months for the authorizations needed to start Bethesda’s program; Liam’s parents are also deaf, adding another layer to an already complicated healthcare search.
The replacement hunt may require more than finding another clinic with an open appointment. The Palm Beach Health Network says pediatric rehabilitation can involve several disciplines, including physical, occupational, speech and feeding therapy, while treating conditions ranging from premature birth and developmental delays to clubfoot and neurological disorders.
Baptist’s Provider List Shows A Patchwork Of Options
The transition notice from Baptist Health lists providers across Palm Beach County, including clinics and children’s hospitals offering combinations of occupational, physical and speech-language therapy. Some options focus on a single discipline, while others are mobile services or specialized medical daycare programs for medically complex children, meaning families may not find a single drop-in replacement for every service.
HCA Florida Palms West Hospital also advertises pediatric outpatient rehabilitation in Loxahatchee, with physical, occupational and speech therapy for children through age 18. The hospital says its program treats orthopedic, neurological, congenital and developmental conditions, but families will still need to confirm availability, insurance acceptance and whether a provider can match a child’s specific treatment plan.
Families Say The Notice Came With Too Little Time
Baptist Health says its priority is continuity of care and that staff are working directly with affected families. The hospital’s notice does not state why the pediatric rehabilitation program is ending, and Lee told WPTV that the announcement did not give families enough time or explanation to arrange new care.
For parents, the challenge is not simply moving an appointment from one calendar to another. It means preserving authorizations, records, therapy frequency and relationships with specialists while avoiding gaps that could slow a child’s progress. With Aug. 21 approaching, Palm Beach County families are left hoping the promised referrals lead to actual appointments before Bethesda’s pediatric therapy rooms go quiet.
