ST. LOUIS, Dec. 8 -- SSM Health Care - St. Louis and Select Medical Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Select Medical Holdings Corporation (NYSE: SEM), today announced a joint venture partnership designed to provide expanded rehabilitation care to the Greater St. Louis area. The joint venture encompasses 80 inpatient rehabilitation beds, 33 outpatient physical therapy centers (with additional on-site services), three occupational medicine clinics, contract therapy locations and staffing services. This partnership will initiate the development and construction of a freestanding rehabilitation hospital, and the integration of both organizations' outpatient rehabilitation, occupational medicine and contract therapy services in St. Louis.
"SSM Health Care – St. Louis is known for providing the most comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services in the area," said James Sanger, President and Chief Executive Officer, SSM Health Care – St. Louis. "This innovative partnership with Select Medical allows for the expansion of exceptional patient care throughout the region."
"Select Medical is pleased to partner with SSM Health Care – St. Louis, a highly regarded major health care system," said Robert Ortenzio, Chief Executive Officer of Select Medical Corporation. "This joint venture will create a regionally distributed and branded rehabilitation network that offers the specialized expertise of a freestanding rehabilitation hospital with convenient access to a wide range of high-quality outpatient services."
Select Medical will serve as managing partner of the joint venture operations, which will use the prominent SSM brand. The joint venture encompasses the following businesses: SSM Rehab, SSM Day Institute, SSM Homeward Bound, SSM WorkHealth, contract therapy services to SSM Home Care, and Select Physical Therapy. It also includes acute hospital therapy services -- such as physical, occupational and speech therapies -- provided to patients in the six SSM Health Care - St. Louis adult acute care hospitals. More than 730 local employees are part of the joint venture.
Inpatient Operations
Currently, SSM Rehabilitation Hospital provides inpatient rehabilitation services at SSM St. Mary's Health Center in Richmond Heights, Mo. and the joint venture manages the same services at SSM St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, Mo. Construction of a new SSM Rehabilitation Hospital will begin soon on the campus of SSM DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton, Mo. with expected completion in the fall/winter of 2011. The Certificate of Need for the rehabilitation hospital was approved in February 2009.
SSM Rehabilitation Hospital will provide advanced treatment and comprehensive care to individuals, particularly brain/spinal cord injury and stroke patients. Select Medical's Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation is one of only six federally designated Model Systems in the country for the treatment and research of both spinal cord and brain injuries.
Outpatient Operations
The joint venture's outpatient operations will unite 18 SSM Rehab centers and 15 Select Physical Therapy centers under the new SSM Physical Therapy brand name. The SSM Day Institutes will be co-located within specific SSM Physical Therapy centers, and the three SSM WorkHealth locations will provide occupational medicine. Contract therapy operations will continue as SSM Homeward Bound and SSM Home Care therapy services. The outpatient and contract therapy services are provided by SSM Rehabilitation Hospital.
About the Partners
SSM Health Care – St. Louis
serves the comprehensive health needs of St. Louis-area residents through a network that includes seven hospitals, nearly 12,000 employees and 2,500 staff physicians. Key service lines include heart, cancer, neurosciences, pediatrics, weight loss, sleep, imaging, behavioral health and rehab. SSM Health Care – St. Louis includes: Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center, DePaul Health Center, St. Clare Health Center, St. Joseph Health Center, St. Joseph Health Center - Wentzville, St. Joseph Hospital West and St. Mary's Health Center.
Based in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Select Medical Corporation is a leading provider of specialized health care encompassing long-term acute care, inpatient medical rehabilitation, outpatient physical rehabilitation and contract therapy. At present, the company has 21,000 employees and operates hospitals and outpatient clinics in 42 states and D.C. Select Medical also owns the prestigious Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, which is consistently recognized as one of America's best rehabilitation hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.
SOURCE Select Medical Corporation
