Neurologist, PM&R Specialist Lead Established Care Offering
July 15, 2025 – West Gables Health Care Center in Miami is the first skilled nursing facility in Florida – and one of the first in the nation – to earn the Skilled Nursing Facility Stroke Rehabilitation Certification offered by the American Heart Association®, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all. Located at 2525 SW 75th Street, West Gables provides post-hospital care, short-term rehab and long-term residential care.
West Gables’ stroke recovery initiative is the first specialized subacute care offering of its kind for the region. “West Gables’ stroke rehabilitation services – designed to meet the American Heart Association’s evidence-based standards of care for stroke survivors – reflects the center’s commitment to transformative skilled nursing services,” said Kate Bauer, regional director of market development for Marquis Health Consulting Services, which supports West Gables.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the U.S. and approximately 795,000 people each year experience a new or recurrent stroke, according to the American Heart Association’s 2024 statistical update. This certification provides a framework for evaluating skilled nursing facilities against rigorous science-based requirements for stroke rehabilitation, including program management, patient and caregiver education and support, care coordination, clinical management and quality improvement.
West Gables’ stroke rehabilitation services are tailored to meet the specific needs and goals of an individual, dependent on how they have been impacted by a stroke. Under the direction of Neurologist Carlos Ramirez-Calderon, MD, and Giselle Vivaldi, MD, a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) specialist, the program aims to help restore physical function, gain strength and endurance, improve balance and mobility, manage pain and spasticity, overcome speech and communication deficits, and develop new cognitive strategies.
“When there are evidence-based processes during every phase of care, patients have the best opportunity for positive outcomes,” said Pamela Duncan, PhD, PT, FAPTA,FAHA, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association’s Skilled Nursing Facility Stroke Rehabilitation Certification Oversight Workgroup. “Participation in this certification benefits the patient and the facility by standardizing care, helping patients and their loved ones choose a facility that follows important best practices.”
The Association’s certification ensures stroke rehabilitation care is coordinated from pre-admission through discharge. “At West Gables, the team is committed to employing the most innovative care for its patients recovering from stroke,” Bauer added. “With the certification, the American Heart Association has armed the center with additional tools and recognized its success.”
West Gables has an established reputation for quality care. The facility has also earned The Association’s Skilled Nursing Facility Heart Failure Center Certification and holds a prestigious accreditation for its quality care and services from The Joint Commission; it maintains a Five-Star Quality Measures rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Conveniently perched atop West Gables Rehab Hospital, the skilled nursing center offers ease of transfer and a full spectrum of post-acute programming in collaboration with the hospital’s experienced physicians.
More information on West Gables Health Care Center and its programming can be found at westgableshealthcare.com. Learn more about the American Heart Association’s Skilled Nursing Facility Stroke Rehabilitation Certification at heart.org/CertifiedCare.
Brick, N.J.-based Marquis Health Consulting Services provides administrative consulting services to skilled nursing facilities and senior living communities along the Eastern Seaboard. The company’s “Care, Anew” philosophy supports its mission to help clients transform industry processes, mindsets and outcomes. Marquis-serviced skilled nursing centers have access to an evolving suite of clinician-led specialty care models, signature services and comfort features – enabling innovation, compassion and purpose in every aspect of care.
