Encompass Health opens new rehab hospitals, and plans for more

Encompass Health has expanded its network of rehabilitation hospitals in a big way so far in 2022.

The company announced plans Friday to build a 50-bed in-patient rehabilitation hospital in Lower Providence Township, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia.

Encompass said the hospital will feature all-private rooms, 24-hour nursing care, and an array of physical, occupational and vocational therapies. The facility will help those recovering from strokes, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, and other serious illnesses or injuries.

But the new rehab hospital in the Philadelphia area is just the latest new venture for the for-profit company based in Birmingham, Ala. Encompass, the largest owner of rehabilitation hospitals in the country, now operates 152 hospitals in 36 states and Puerto Rico.

Encompass has opened eight new rehabilitation hospitals in 2022. The company has an additional hospital slated to open in Naples, Fla. in September. It’s a joint venture with NCH Healthcare. Encompass has also relocated two new locations for existing hospitals this year.

Last week, Encompass, in partnership with UnityPoint Health, opened the Quad Cities Rehabilitation Institute, a new 40-bed rehabilitation hospital in Moline, Illinois. It’s the fourth Encompass hospital in Illinois.

“As the region’s only freestanding inpatient rehabilitation hospital, we will provide essential services to help patients regain function and independence as they recover from major injuries and illnesses,” Tammy Pauwels, CEO of Quad Cities Rehabilitation Institute, said in a statement.

Encompass is forming partnerships with several nonprofit health systems to open new rehabilitation facilities. Earlier this month, Encompass, in partnership with the Altru Health System, opened a 37-bed rehabilitation system in Grand Forks, N.D.

“Both Altru and Encompass Health have a proven track record of quality, patient and family satisfaction and are united in our mission to providing compassionate care and helping patients regain the strength, function and confidence needed to move forward in their lives,” Brad Kennedy, president of Encompass Health’s South Central Region, said in a statement.

The company also broke ground last week on a new rehabilitation hospital in a suburb of Madison, Wisconsin. The facility is slated to open in October 2023, WKOW-TV reported.

When Encompass completes construction of its new hospital in the Philadelphia suburbs, it will be the company’s 10th in-patient rehabilitation hospital in Pennsylvania.

"We are excited to expand and grow our rehabilitation services in Southeast Pennsylvania," Pat Tuer, president of Encompass Health's Northeast region, said in a statement.

"We remain committed to making a difference in the communities we serve by improving access to high-quality, individualized rehabilitative care, and this new hospital will allow even more residents to receive specialized care close to home."

Encompass reported $5.1 billion in revenue in 2021.

In July, Encompass completed spinning off its home health and hospice operations. The new firm, now known as Enhabit Home Health & Hospice, is a separate, publicly traded company. In announcing the move earlier this year, Encompass said separating the two divisions into separate companies would allow for more improved focus and better strategy for both.

Encompass reported $5.1 billion in revenue in 2021.