PinnacleHealth And Select Medical Announce Joint Venture To Improve Coordination Of Care For Rehabilitation In Central Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- PinnacleHealth and Select Medical announced today that they will create a joint venture to co-own the 55-bed Helen M. Simpson Rehabilitation Hospital in Harrisburg and another 23 outpatient clinics throughout central Pennsylvania that provide physical therapy and other related services. PinnacleHealth plans to contribute eight of its outpatient clinics to the joint venture while Select Medical plans to contribute 15 of its outpatient clinics. Financial terms were not disclosed.

As part of the agreement, Select Medical will serve as managing partner of the joint venture's hospital and outpatient clinics.

"Since PinnacleHealth opened The Helen M. Simpson Rehabilitation Hospital in 2006, we have treated patients recovering from orthopedic and neurological operations, injuries and conditions," said Michael A. Young, president and CEO of PinnacleHealth. "At the same time, we have a national leader in rehabilitation and post-acute care right in our backyard. Select Medical's localized approach to offering care is a great fit for our culture and our dedication to excellence. Between our organizations' expertise, footprint in the market and deep commitment to the local community, we are excited to offer the region a powerful, combined solution to offer the best rehabilitation care possible."

"The future of healthcare is about high levels of coordination between different types of healthcare providers," said Robert Ortenzio, executive chairman and co-founder of Select Medical. "Through this partnership, our goal is to offer that coordination right now. Our partnership model works well in many other markets. The time has come to offer this to our hometown, and we are proud to do it with PinnacleHealth. Our partner has a superb reputation. The joint venture will be very focused on building on this terrific work."

Select Medical and PinnacleHealth have a history of working with each other. Select Medical currently leases space from PinnacleHealth in its Alex Grass Building in downtown Harrisburg for a different type of hospital -- one that specializes in the care of chronically and critically ill patients. This hospital is known as Select Specialty Hospital and is one of three long-term acute care (LTAC) hospitals in the area owned and operated by Select Medical. It is not part of the joint venture.

The Helen M. Simpson Rehabilitation Hospital is a certified stroke rehabilitation hospital and ranked among the top 10 percent of such hospitals in the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR) Program Evaluation Model. The Helen M. Simpson Rehabilitation Hospital offers a multi-faceted program to help patients return to a normal, healthy life. The team at the rehabilitation hospital provides general rehabilitation and specialized interdisciplinary therapy programs for conditions including amputations, bariatric surgery rehabilitation, brain injury, medical deconditioning, neurological conditions, oncology recovery, orthopedic conditions and stroke rehabilitation.

The Helen M. Simpson Rehabilitation Hospital will become the 17th hospital to join Select Medical's network of specialized, inpatient rehabilitation hospitals. Select Medical has extensive experience in rehabilitation hospital management with the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, recognized by U.S. News and World Report as the number two inpatient rehabilitation hospital in the United States.

PinnacleHealth Outpatient Rehabilitation currently includes specialized programs such as: aquatics, balance and vestibular, STAR oncology rehab, hand and upper extremity, incontinence, lymphedema and two of less than 35 Certified McKenzie Method® clinics in the United States. Under the joint venture, the clinics will also be managed by Select Medical, and will operate as Select Physical Therapy.

The joint venture will also become part of one of the nation's largest networks of physical therapists and centers. Select Medical's outpatient division includes more than 1,000 clinics across the United States and has won nearly 500 contracts to provide physical therapy to nursing homes, schools and other facilities. The company's outpatient clinics provide sports medicine and athletic training services to 300 professional, collegiate and high school teams nationwide.

About PinnacleHealth System
PinnacleHealth is a pioneer not-for-profit healthcare system dedicated to improving the health and quality of life for the people of Central Pennsylvania since 1873. A proven leader in medical innovation, PinnacleHealth offers a wide range of services from primary care to the most complex surgeries and Magnet recognition for nursing excellence. The healthcare network includes four campuses (Community, West Shore, Harrisburg and Polyclinic). The new five-story West Shore Hospital includes 108 beds with an emergency department, medical/surgical care, cardiology, orthopedics, chronic disease management, and private patient rooms. PinnacleHealth is part of RiverHealth ACO, an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Medical services, including family practice, imaging, outpatient surgery and oncology are offered at multiple locations throughout the region. For a complete list of services, visit our website at www.pinnaclehealth.org

About Select Medical
Co-founded by the father–and–son team of Rocco and Robert Ortenzio in 1996, Select Medical has become one of the nation's largest providers of specialized acute and post-acute care. Select Medical's network of more than 31,000 employees operates or supports more than 100 hospitals specializing in long-term acute care, 16 medical rehabilitation hospitals, and more than 1,000 outpatient clinics offering physical and occupational therapy. In addition, the company offers contract therapy services at nearly 500 locations. Select Medical (NYSE: SEM) is based in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit selectmedical.com or www.youtube.com/SelectMedicalTV.

SOURCE Select Medical