Cleveland Clinic has finalized an agreement with Select Medical to form a joint venture, intended to enhance inpatient rehabilitation services in Northeast Ohio and improve access for patients with complex rehab needs. A news release issued by Cleveland Clinic states that as part of the joint venture, both organizations will expand these services on Cleveland’s West Side by building a new 60-bed adult inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Avon, Ohio. Additionally, the release notes that both organizations have entered into a management agreement, effective August 1, to enhance operations in existing Cleveland Clinic facilities.
Currently, the West Side rehabilitation hospital is slated to be located in Avon next to Cleveland Clinic’s Avon medical campus. Construction is anticipated for this summer, with a goal of opening in late 2015, according to the release.
Additionally, the release notes that the venture will facilitate a residency program for physicians in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Cleveland Clinic and Select Medical also share a goal of improving patient access to high quality post-acute and rehabilitation programs, as well as enhancing employee opportunities.
The agreement, the release says, is expected to expand Cleveland’s Clinic’s post-acute care capabilities by adding to existing home care, hospice, and skill nursing programming. The joint venture will also explore additional opportunities to expand services locally, nationally, and internationally, aiming to continue to improve post-acute care options more broadly for patients.
Robert Wyllie, MD, chief medical operations officer, Cleveland Clinic, explains that the joint venture with Select Medical “…allows us to expand our services with a national leader in post-acute rehabilitation who has a proven record of partnering with academic medical centers, like Cleveland Clinic, to take care of the sickest patients.”
The release states that Select Medical has partnered with a variety of academic medical centers, such as Baylor Health System, Texas, Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania, and both Cedars-Sinai and UCLA Health System in California.
David S. Chernow, president and chief executive officer, Select Medical, adds, “Between Cleveland Clinic’s world-class reputation for excellence and our expertise in inpatient rehabilitation, there is terrific synergy between our two organizations. Through a shared commitment to delivering the best possible patient experience, I know that we can build something truly special in the post-acute care space.”
[Source(s): Cleveland Clinic, Select Medical]
