By Ben Thayer, Co-Founder & Co-Owner · 3 min read

Who this is for: Written for practices in Sebring, Avon Park and Lake Placid, and for farm workers, families and winter residents in Florida's Heartland.

Key takeaways

  • Highlands County is not a regular route today. Call 813-709-3771 to confirm before referring.
  • Where scheduled, testing happens at the patient's local provider, so nobody makes the long drive.
  • US-27 two-lane stretches, farm equipment and livestock trucks shape local crash patterns.
  • A patient visit typically takes 30 to 60 minutes at the provider's office.
  • Family members shouldn't interpret clinical testing. Note the patient's language on the referral.

Florida's Heartland

Sebring, Avon Park, Lake Placid and the surrounding Heartland lie inland, southeast of Polk. Braintree is based in Tampa Bay, has no local office and does not run regular routes here. Call 813-709-3771 and we will talk honestly about scheduling given the distance.

For a patient with dizziness or light sensitivity, a long drive is hard and can be unsafe.

Rural roads and long distances

Heavy interstate traffic in Florida
Even low-speed collisions in traffic can jolt the head and neck.

US-27 is the main north-south corridor, with US-98 and State Roads 66 and 70 crossing the region. Two-lane highways, farm equipment, trucks hauling citrus and cattle and long distances between towns all shape crash patterns.

Why local testing matters here

A patient with headaches, dizziness or light sensitivity should not have to drive an hour for an appointment. Where testing can be scheduled, it happens at the patient's own local provider, which removes that barrier and keeps the local practice at the center of care.

Related in this series: Concussion Testing for Spanish-Speaking Patients in Florida, Languages & Accessibility and Hernando & Citrus Mobile Concussion Testing. For the full overview, start with our guide, Concussion After a Crash.

Return-to-work decisions around farm equipment belong to the treating provider. Standardized findings can inform them.

Agricultural workers and families

Bright, calm clinic exam room
Braintree testing takes place at the referring provider’s office.

Many patients work physically demanding agricultural jobs, where concussion symptoms can affect safety around equipment. The treating provider makes work decisions, and standardized findings can inform them. Many families speak Spanish at home; note the preferred language on the referral and we will confirm support.

Winter residents

Sebring and Lake Placid attract winter residents, many of them older adults. Families should know the signs that need emergency care after a fall.

Heartland emergencies

A worsening headache, repeated vomiting, seizures, weakness or confusion after a crash on US-27 or a fall at home needs 911 or the nearest ER. An older adult on a blood thinner who hits their head needs prompt evaluation.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Heartland currently served?

Please call 813-709-3771 to confirm availability before referring.

How long does testing take?

A visit typically takes 30 to 60 minutes, at the provider's office.

Can a family member help with Spanish?

Family shouldn't interpret clinical testing. Note the patient's language on the referral and we will confirm support.

We diagnose. You treat.

Fully mobile across Florida: we test at the patient's home, at any of 40+ service locations across Florida, or at your office. Mobile, physician-reviewed concussion and TBI diagnostics for Florida providers and their accident patients. Reports go to a neurologist ahead of the neuro evaluation; the referring provider then receives a copy for advanced imaging and treatment recommendations.

Book a 15-minute callRefer a patient

Or call 813-709-3771

Sources

This article is educational and is not medical or legal advice. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.