This year marks the 60th anniversary of UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC). Spain Rehab was dedicated on April 26, 1964, and made possible by a $500,000 gift from philanthropists Frank E. and Margaret Cameron Spain and funding from the Foundation for Hearing and Speech.
In the years since its founding, Spain Rehab has become an integral part of the UAB Health System and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation headquarters.
Ranked #19 in the nation by US News and World Report’s ‘Best Hospitals’ list, Spain Rehab is recognized as one of the southeast’s leading providers of physical medicine and rehabilitation services.
Spain Rehab has grown immensely and continues to provide state-of-the-art inpatient and outpatient care and conducts important research to help improve the long-term function and quality of life for patients with an injury or disability. Spain Rehab is also the hub for UAB Medicine’s Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems, Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems, and the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Data Center.
In addition to inpatient care, outpatient services have expanded to include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, orthotics/prosthetics, wheelchair seating, clinic for women with disabilities, head injury, spinal cord injury, cancer, stroke, spasticity, neuro and rehabilitation psychology, pain treatment, occupational medicine, pressure ulcer, plastic surgery, EMG, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, musculoskeletal, sports and regenerative medicine, and urology & sexual health.
Spain Rehab’s Medical Director Dr. Robert C. Brunner has experienced this growth firsthand.
“Reflecting on my 25-year tenure at Spain Rehabilitation fills me with immense gratitude and a profound sense of fulfillment. Throughout this journey, I have witnessed remarkable strides in innovation and the expansion of services offered to our patients. Yet, amidst the advancements, it is the incredible individuals—colleagues, staff, and patients alike—that have truly enriched my experience. Their dedication, compassion, and resilience embody the heart and soul of Spain Rehabilitation, making it a truly exceptional place to belong,” shared Brunner.
Spain Rehab’s goal is to continue to serve the patient population in the areas of service, research, and teaching and to help those with physical ailments and disabilities have a more productive and comfortable life. The next phase of rehabilitation services continues with the groundbreaking of a new inpatient rehabilitation hospital slated to open in 2025. The 78-bed, state-of-the-art 11-story facility is being constructed on 7th Avenue South behind the UAB Sparks Building. It will feature the most advanced design and the latest technology, and each floor will be dedicated to caring for specific types of patients, including those receiving care for stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and epilepsy. Unique features include a rooftop courtyard, rehabilitation gym on each floor, outdoor terrain park, basketball court, and more.