4/5/2024
WILLIAMSPORT – UPMC continues to invest in growth on the campus of UPMC Williamsport and across north central Pennsylvania with the opening of the newly renovated and expanded UPMC Rehabilitation Institute at 700 High St. in Williamsport. A public open house celebration was held on April 2. This state-of-the-art facility provides additional and optimally-designed space for delivering comprehensive and personalized care within a healing atmosphere focused on enhancing the patient experience.
“The rehabilitation program here in Williamsport has proudly delivered exceptional quality care and services to the community for more than 50 years,” said Tom Hoy, administrative director, UPMC Neurosciences and Rehabilitation in north central Pennsylvania. “With the completion of this project, we have created facilities that meet the needs of our patients and support the comprehensive services, including many specialties, offered locally. We have the latest treatments and services, now in a wonderful new facility, close to home.”
The newly renovated space features 30 private rooms all with in-room bathrooms, two modern gyms, private treatment spaces for speech therapy and psychology services, a sensory room for quiet treatment of neurologic patients, conference space for staff, and additional common space for support groups, group therapy treatment including music therapy, and staff education. The expansion has also created space for a new low-level head injury program, one of only three programs of its type in Pennsylvania, designed for specialized treatment of traumatic brain injuries. The renovation also focused on measures for patient and staff safety including one room featuring a whole-room robotic overhead gait training system and a unit-wide elopement prevention system.
“Accomplishing the modernization of the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute at UPMC Williamsport is a significant milestone for our region,” said Patti Jackson-Gehris, president, UPMC in North Central Pa. “This new space, and the twin unit that we opened in January of last year below it, are examples of UPMC’s commitment to delivering highly specialized services focused on an exceptional experience to our patients and their families. This facility is an investment made for the future of our community and the region, and we are grateful for our partners and generous donors for their support in bringing this dream to life.”
The new facility was aided by $3.5 million received in generous local community funds donated to Susquehanna Health Foundation as part of its Susquehanna Strong comprehensive campaign.
UPMC Rehabilitation Institute in Williamsport’s inpatient unit cares for more than 600 patients a year with an average length of stay of 12 days. These patients are aged 13 and older and are receiving treatment for diagnoses of stroke, burn, fractures, trauma, brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. The program is certified with a Gold Seal of Approval® by the Joint Commission for the services offered for stroke, brain injury and spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
To learn more about the comprehensive services offered by UPMC Rehabilitation Institute in north central Pennsylvania, visit UPMC.com/RehabNCPA.
PHOTO DETAILS: (click images for high-res versions)
First photo
CREDIT: UPMC
CAPTION: UPMC leaders and physicians ceremoniously cut a ribbon marking the opening of the new UPMC Rehabilitation Institute inpatient unit at UPMC Williamsport.
Second photo
CREDIT: UPMC
CAPTION: Pictured is a cross-section of the gait-lift room specifically designed to reduce the risk of falls and injury as patients learn to walk and navigate around a room safely.