Partners break ground on Palomar Health Rehabilitation Institute

ESCONDIDO – Leaders from Palomar Health and Kindred Healthcare broke ground recently to start construction on a new 52-bed acute rehabilitation hospital, the Palomar Health Rehabilitation Institute, on the campus of Palomar Medical Center Escondido. The joint venture realizes a commitment Palomar Health has made to provide leading health care services in North San Diego County. Once completed near the end of 2020, the 58,000 square-foot, two-story building will serve an estimated 1,200 plus patients per year experiencing a loss of function from injury or illness.

“This facility expands our ability to serve our community’s health care needs in one convenient location,” Palomar Health President and CEO Diane Hansen said. “Keeping services close to home provides measurable benefits to both the supporting family members and patients, aiding them in their recovery process.”

The Rehabilitation Institute will provide physiatry, physical and occupational therapy; speech-language pathology; rehabilitation nursing; internal medicine; medical and surgical subspecialty consultation; and nutritional services serving patients suffering from neuro disorders, stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury and amputation.

The hospital will contain 52 private rooms; a secured acquired brain injury unit with private dining and therapy gym; a dialysis suite; large interdisciplinary gyms; a therapeutic courtyard with golf, basketball and varied surfaces; and a transitional living apartment designed to simulate a residential home to prepare patients for their daily living tasks before they are discharged home.

Currently Kindred Healthcare and Palomar Health operate a 25-bed acute rehabilitation unit at Palomar Medical Center Downtown Escondido, which will be closing in the spring of 2020 to make way for a housing development.

“We look forward to continuing our quality-focused collaboration with Palomar Health in building a state-of-the-art hospital to serve the San Diego County and Southern California region,” said Jason Zachariah, President of Kindred Rehabilitation Services, a division of Kindred Healthcare. "We believe the Palomar Health Rehabilitation Institute will enhance health care services in the area and meet a growing need in this community “

Submitted by Palomar Health Rehabilitation Institute.