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University of Utah Health Care Celebrates Expanded Rehabilitation Center

SALT LAKE CITY  – University of Utah Health Care today celebrated the reopening of the newly expanded Rehabilitation Center at University of Utah Hospital. The expansion features 10 additional private inpatient rooms and represents a renewed commitment to utilizing only the latest in rehabilitation tools, technique and technology.

University of Utah Hospital administrators and staff joined friends and former patients for an open house and a tour of the new facility as part of today’s celebration. The Rehabilitation Center expansion once again demonstrates University of Utah Health Care’s dedication to helping patients reclaim their lives and independence after illness or injury.

“The professionals in the Rehabilitation Center at University of Utah Hospital understand that our job extends far beyond simply providing great care,” says University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics Chief Executive Officer David Entwistle. “We are responsible for meeting the physical, mental and emotional needs of each patient, thereby preparing them to get back to their lives and families. The Rehabilitation Center expansion will allow us to better serve our patients and we are honored to do so.”

The expansion will also allow enhanced care for persons with brain injury by providing a separate, less distracting therapy area. And, due to the additional space, families will be able to participate in the care of their loved one on a 24-hour basis.

“The additional private beds will permit us to care for more patients in need of an intensive inpatient rehabilitation program,” says Dr. John Speed, M.B.B.S., professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the U of U School of Medicine and medical director of the Inpatient Medical Rehabilitation Unit. “Offering private rooms means we can ensure the same level of personalized care now standard at University of Utah Hospital. It means we can create the specialized rehabilitation space necessary for the unique needs of each of our patients and their families.”

In addition to private rooms, the new expansion will allow for additional benefits for patient care. For instance, the new overhead lift system in many patient rooms can safely

transfer bariatric patients and those with severe neurological impairments, resulting in increased staff and patient safety, comfort and mobility. The center also features high technology support for adaptive communication and environmental control to encourage independent communication, social interaction, and an improved quality of life.

The Rehabilitation Center at University of Utah Hospital has a long tradition of providing specialized care for a wide variety of conditions, including brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, amputation, and other forms of severe illness and neurological injury. The center’s interdisciplinary team works together to ensure comprehensive, patient-centered care. Even after a patient leaves the inpatient center, rehabilitation care is continued through outpatient physician and therapy appointments, ongoing patient education, and access to support groups. The Rehabilitation Center’s dedicated specialty teams support patients and their families throughout the continuum of care, from the onset of injury or illness through return to health and independence.

The University of Utah Health Care Rehabilitation Center at University of Utah Hospital was established in 1965. The new expansion will result in 24 private patient rooms and seven large double occupancy rooms with space to accommodate specialized equipment and care. For more information on the Rehabilitation Center and its services, visit healthcare.utah.edu/rehab/.