Kindred Healthcare and Dignity Health Announce Plans for Second Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital in the Phoenix Area

Joint venture will build and operate 40-bed hospital in Gilbert, Arizona

LOUISVILLE, Ky. & PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kindred Healthcare, LLC (“Kindred”) and Dignity Health today announced a joint venture to build and operate their second inpatient rehabilitation hospital in the Phoenix market.

Kindred and Dignity Community Care opened Dignity Health East Valley Rehabilitation Hospital in Chandler, Arizona, in 2016. To serve the growing need for inpatient rehabilitation services in Phoenix, Kindred and Dignity determined that developing a second hospital would address increasing demand for these services.

This new 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital will be located in Gilbert, Arizona, in Maricopa County’s growing East Valley. The 50,000-square-foot, two-story rehabilitation facility will have all private rooms and focus on acute rehabilitation for patients who suffer from stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, complex neurological disorders, orthopedic conditions, multiple trauma, amputation and other injuries or disorders. Large multidisciplinary therapy gymnasiums will be outfitted with the latest therapeutic technologies, including augmented reality balance training, therapy bionics and a full body exoskeleton. The hospital will also include a therapeutic courtyard with exterior amenities, such as a golf chipping range, pickle ball and cornhole.

“We are excited to grow our relationship with Dignity Health – one of the nation’s leading health care providers – to offer the Phoenix community increased access to high-quality inpatient rehabilitation services,” said Russ Bailey, Chief Operating Officer of Kindred Rehabilitation Hospitals. “As with Dignity Health East Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, this new hospital will be dedicated to passionately advocating for and providing hope, healing and recovery to patients in its care.”

“Dignity Health East Valley Rehabilitation Hospital has provided high-quality and compassionate rehabilitative care, exceeding the national benchmark for patients discharged to their home or community,” said Sharon Smeltzer, Division Vice President – West, Kindred Hospital Rehabilitation Services. “The community’s response has demonstrated the need for additional rehabilitation services in the Phoenix area, and we are eager to meet that need.”

“We are delighted to partner with Kindred to provide services that help patients function as independently as possible while safely returning to the activities they love,” said Linda Hunt, Dignity Health Arizona Division President. “Dignity Health continues to address the growing health care needs of our East Valley and the Gilbert community.”

Kindred expects the hospital to open by the fourth quarter of calendar year 2021, subject to several regulatory and other approvals.

About Kindred Healthcare

Kindred Healthcare, LLC is a healthcare services company based in Louisville, Kentucky with annual revenues of approximately $3.2 billion⁽¹⁾. At March 31, 2020, Kindred through its subsidiaries had approximately 31,800 employees providing healthcare services in 1,731 locations in 46 states, including 64 long-term acute care hospitals, 21 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, 10 sub-acute units, 95 inpatient rehabilitation units (hospital-based), contract rehabilitation service businesses which served 1,541 non-affiliated sites of service, and behavioral health services. Ranked as one of Fortune magazine’s Most Admired Healthcare Companies for nine years, Kindred’s mission is to help our patients reach their highest potential for health and healing with intensive medical and rehabilitative care through a compassionate patient experience. For more information, go to www.kindredhealthcare.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

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About Dignity Health in Arizona

Dignity Health in Arizona includes six acute care hospitals: Chandler Regional Medical Center, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, which includes Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Westgate Hospital, Arizona General Hospital Laveen and Arizona General Hospital Mesa. From this foundation, Dignity Health in Arizona has expanded into a comprehensive health care system, which includes clinics, specialty hospitals, urgent cares, insurance providers, an accountable care organization and other clinical partnerships. The Dignity Health Medical Group includes hundreds of physicians in Arizona and a wide range of specialties. Dignity Health in Arizona is part of CommonSpirit Health, one of the nation’s largest health care systems.