Wesley Healthcare broke ground on a new 41-bed physical rehabilitation hospital being built adjacent to the health system’s Hillside campus.
The new 58,000-square-foot facility will provide much-needed rehabilitation beds that aim to meet the needs of patients requiring rehabilitation following a stroke, trauma, orthopedic/spinal injury or related condition.
“There is currently a significant shortage of physical rehabilitation beds in Wichita, so we’ve seen many patients being sent hours away to facilities in other cities or, in some cases, other states,” said Bill Voloch, President and CEO of Wesley Healthcare. “Having these additional rehabilitation beds in our community will help keep those patients here at home with their families.”
Wesley Healthcare previously operated the 65-bed Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital in west Wichita, which closed in March, 2022.
The new facility is being built upon the site of the former Wichita Children’s Home on North Holyoke, one block north of Wesley Medical Center. It will feature both interior and exterior therapy spaces, including an open-air courtyard which will feature several therapy stations that will allow patients to engage in their recovery in a natural setting.
The new rehabilitation hospital is slated to be complete toward the end of 2024 and will employ around 90 full-time staff within its first year of operation.