SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Washington – PeaceHealth United General Medical Center announced plans to open a new, private room, 10-bed acute rehabilitation center on July 1, 2019.
The center will feature physical and occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, as well as nursing and social work to accommodate patients recovering from surgery or those who are medically challenged by an acute injury or illness.
“We are delighted to offer inpatient rehabilitation services to patients in our community,” said Chris Johnston, PeaceHealth United General’s chief administrative officer. “Patients in need of physical and other therapies after a surgery or stroke will benefit from having these services locally.”
The opening of the new unit in PeaceHealth’s Sedro-Woolley facility comes after a similar unit closed at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham in October 2018. The unit transitioned to general medical and surgical beds to meet increasing demand in the Bellingham community. PeaceHealth St. Joseph served more patients last year than in any year in its 126-year history.
“This is an example of the benefit of being part of a system of inter-connected hospitals and clinics,” Johnston continued. “We are able to better determine how to allocate our resources – both people and facilities – to best meet the needs of our patients in a geographic area.”
Therapists who previously worked at the now-closed inpatient rehab unit at PeaceHealth St. Joseph in Bellingham will be given the first opportunity to apply for positions in the new unit in Sedro-Woolley.
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About PeaceHealth: Based in Vancouver, Wash., PeaceHealth is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. PeaceHealth United General Medical Center, a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital in Sedro Woolley, serves communities in a 2,000 square mile area in Skagit and Whatcom Counties. As well as operating a Level IV Emergency Department, key services include general and orthopedic surgery, oncology, pulmonary and primary care.
