Missoula’s two hospitals will cooperate together to build and operate a new inpatient rehabilitation hospital building in Missoula.
Community Medical Center and Providence St. Patrick Hospital jointly made the announcement on Thursday morning, saying they have an “intention to develop a joint venture partnership.”
“The new, free-standing facility will help to meet the growing community need for specialized rehabilitation services,” the announcement said.
Upon completion of the project, Community will transition its existing inpatient rehabilitation program to the new hospital and St. Pat’s would provide supplemental clinical services and administrative support.
Inpatient rehabilitation at Community Medical Center.
The Missoulian requested information on where the hospital would be built, how big it would be, how many patients it could accommodate and when it would be completed. That information was not immediately provided but this story will be updated if those questions are answered by the hospitals.
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The term “inpatient” refers to patients who stay in the hospital for at least one night.
“Named as the number one rehab hospital in Montana by U.S. News and World Report, Community Medical Center is a leader in inpatient rehabilitation for patients throughout western Montana and northern Idaho,” said Bonnie Stephens, chief medical officer of Community Medical Center. “Due to the growing and aging population in Montana, we have recognized the need for additional capacity and specialization. A freestanding rehabilitation hospital will allow more patients to receive intensive rehabilitation here in Missoula. We are excited to partner with Providence St. Patrick Hospital, to leverage our shared resources to best serve patients throughout the region as they recover from illness or injury.”
The new hospital would provide “intensive nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapy services” from adults recovering from conditions like stroke, neurological disease, brain or spinal cord injury and other debilitating illnesses or injuries.
The hospital said the new facility will have multidisciplinary therapy gyms, adaptive units and new technology.
“It has been our goal to expand access to specialty care in the Missoula community, and today, we take an important step forward,” said Bill Calhoun, chief executive of Providence Montana. “Through our partnership with Community Medical Center, we’re not only establishing a new facility but also expanding a system of care serving our patients with the individualized rehabilitation care they need.”
When it’s built, it will be the first free-standing rehabilitation hospital in Missoula.
David Erickson is the business reporter for the Missoulian.
