Ohio State Wexner Medical Center announces plans for new inpatient rehab hospital in 2025
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center revealed plans Friday for the construction of a three-story adult inpatient rehabilitation hospital slated to open in 2025 on Taylor Avenue on Columbus' Near East Side.
Specializing in treatment and research for patients with stroke, brain and spinal cord injuries, the facility will be located adjacent to the medical center’s Outpatient Care East, near Ohio State East Hospital.
The construction and operation of the 86,000 square-foot hospital facility is the result of a partnership between the Wexner Medical Center and Kindred Rehabilitation Services, which is based in Louisville, Kentucky, and which operates more than 30 inpatient rehabilitation facilities across 18 states. Kindred, which specializes in rehabilitation management and services, is a business unit of LifePoint Health based in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Leaders at the Wexner Medical Center who spoke to reporters during a virtual Friday news briefing did not provide an estimate for the total cost of the project, which they said will be undetermined for several months as planning continues. The cost, however, will be split between the medical center and Kindred, officials said.
"We'll be working very closely with them over the next six to 12 months to determine the final programming," said Dr. Andrew Thomas, chief clinical officer at the Wexner Medical Center, who declined to provide even a general estimate when prompted by a Dispatch reporter.
Thomas said Wexner Medical Center leaders are still months away from setting an exact date for when construction crews will break ground on the project, but he estimated that would happen within a year.
The future of Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital undecided
Wexner Medical Center leaders envision the new hospital, which is to have 80 beds and will replace the 60-bed Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital, will allow the academic health system to increase access to inpatient rehabilitation services in the region by 30%.
It has not been decided what is to become of the Dodd hospital, which is attached to the Davis Medical Research Center, 480 Medical Center Drive, but Wexner leaders also say the new hospital will be closer to major transportation arteries — providing easier access to patients traveling from around the region for care.
"We know if we expand our capacity, we'll have more patients we can serve in the new facility," said Amanda Lucas, executive director of clinical operations for the Ohio State Neurological Institute and executive director of Ohio State Harding Hospital.
The planned rehabilitation hospital is separate from the $1.8 billion, 26-story tower that is already under construction at Ohio State that serves as the largest single construction project in the university's history. That 1.9 million square-foot inpatient facility next to The James will have space for 820 beds in private rooms when it opens in early 2026.
For subscribers: Ohio State's new hospital under construction is biggest building project in OSU history
When the rehabilitation hospital opens, officials anticipate adding about 75 new jobs in clinical and support roles. Many of those positions will likely be filled by staff members working at Dodd, Lucas said, while others will be filled via new hires.
Under the guidance of a medical director, the Wexner Medical Center will provide health care oversight at the new hospital, which Ohio State and Kindred will co-own and operate. Though Kindred management will oversee day-to-day operations, faculty and staff working at the new hospital will remain Ohio State employees.
Both Kindred and Ohio State will have shared accountability to the hospital’s joint oversight committee.
Thomas said leaders at the medical center had no reservations about partnering with a for-profit organization, citing what he said is Kindred's long track record of working with respected institutions, including other academic institutions.
"They're a very well-respected company," Thomas said. "We feel confident they'll be an outstanding partner for us."
John Palmer, a spokesman for the Ohio Hospital Association, said the state is currently home to 250 hospitals, 16 of which are classified as rehabilitation facilities. As Ohio's population ages, Palmer said such rehabilitation facilities will be crucial in helping patients recover from injuries and surgery.
“Why we’re seeing this activity is really attributed to where we’re going as a community, as a society, as a population in Ohio,” Palmer said. “When you think about some of those healthcare needs that come with that population, particularly rehabilitation services … these rehab hospitals can help with that post-surgery care."
What will Wexner Medical Center offer to patients?
Among the hospital's offerings are plans for 80 private patient beds, an acquired brain injury unit, multidisciplinary therapy gyms, an outdoor therapy courtyard and other amenities to help patients with recovery. Officials anticipate the facility will bolster Ohio State’s research capabilities to advance rehabilitation technologies and treatments, providing residents and medical students the educational resources in the specialties supporting inpatient rehabilitation.
"Our faculty and staff are really brilliant, compassionate, and they really provide world-class care,” said Dr. Carol Bradford, dean of the Ohio State University College of Medicine and vice president for Health Sciences at the medical center. “They are all so looking forward to having a wonderful new facility to continue to provide extraordinary care."
The venture marks Kindred's first venture in Greater Columbus.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Ohio State Wexner Medical Center to build and operate this new specialty hospital in Columbus,” Kindred President Russ Bailey said. “Both Ohio State and Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital have excellent reputations for providing high-quality, compassionate care to those they serve. As the need for inpatient rehabilitation care continues to increase in the community, we are looking forward to working together to expand access to these critical services and advance our mission of making communities healthier."
elagatta@dispatch.com
@EricLagatta
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus to get new Ohio State Wexner Medical rehab hospital
