DuBOIS – DuBois Regional Medical Center recently announced that it will be ending a 15-year relationship with HealthSouth to run its inpatient rehab facility at its West Campus along Hospital Avenue in DuBois.

Hospital officials said that The Rehabilitation Center of DRMC will continue to provide high-quality rehabilitation services to the region but will be independently managing the center.

The Rehabilitation Center provides comprehensive physical rehabilitation services designed to return patients to maximum function and independence after amputation, brain injuries, hip fractures, joint replacements, multiple sclerosis, trauma, neurological diseases, nerve disorders, spinal cord injuries or stroke.

It uses a multidisciplinary team approach involving the patient, family and physicians who specialize in rehabilitation along with physical, occupational and speech therapists, rehab nurses, social services and is backed by all the services of DRMC.

The relationship with HealthSouth will end on Dec. 31. It will not change the way The Rehabilitation Center operates with the exception of administrative duties, which will now be conducted by DRMC personnel.

"We thank HealthSouth for working with us over the last 15 years but the time has come for DRMC to efficiently manage our rehab on our own," DRMC Chief Financial Officer Patricia Cressley said. "DRMC will now be able to position itself as the only dedicated inpatient rehabilitation unit in the DRMC service area."

Patient outcomes have helped set DRMC apart from other rehab facilities. For the past three years, DRMC has been recognized nationally for maintaining patient outcomes in the top 10 percent of all rehab facilities.

"From a quality standpoint, nothing will change at The Rehab Center," DRMC Vice President for Medical Affairs Dr. Gary DuGan said. "Our excellent physiatrists, Drs. Laun Hallstrom and Lynn Myers, will continue to monitor and work with patients on a daily basis. Our experienced staff of physical, occupational and speech therapists will not change and our skilled nursing staff will continue to provide compassionate care to our inpatient rehab patients. They will all continue to be backed by all the advanced services of DRMC."

For more information about the services offered at The Rehabilitation Center of DRMC, please call 375-3058.