Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Genesis picks Exton for new rehab center
Kennett Square company expands presence in short-term rehab with groundbreaking in Oaklands Corporate Center
Genesis Health Care Thursday broke ground on its 12th Power Back Rehabilitation location, this one in the Oaklands Corporate Center about 12 miles from its Kennett Square headquarters.
Joined by township, county and state officials, Genesis employees braved the brisk temperatures and strong winds to mark the beginning of the $19 million project with a traditional groundbreaking ceremony involving hard hats and silver shovels. The building on six acres is expected to open in the summer of 2018.
The Norwood Group of Malvern is the general contractor on the project.
“This is something very exciting to us,” said Paul Bach, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Genesis. “We’ve been hopeful about this project for two years now.”
Power Back Rehabilitation was launched by Genesis Health Care in 2012 in response to the market demand for shorter post-hospital patient recovery periods and fewer post-discharge setbacks. The other 11 Power Back centers are in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Maryland and Texas.
Patients who will use the facility include those coming off of hip or knee replacements, people recuperating from cardiac surgery and strokes, those recovering from automobile ac--
– Mary Frances McGarrity, senior vice president of business development services at the Chester County Economic Development Council “They are committing not only to the community’s physical health, but to its economic health as well by adding 250 jobs.”
cidents and more, explained Carol Albright Rohrbaugh, vice president of business development for Genisis in the Mid-Atlantic area. The center treats only adults.
The company chose the location because of the population density and its closeness to a number of hospital systems, Rohrbaugh said.
“Its all short stay,” with the average being 10 to 12 days. “With something like that, you could even see people from King of Prussia coming here” because family members could easily drive to visit patients. While the core market is about 20 miles, “they’ll come up to 40 miles, it seems,” Rohrbaugh said.
Power Back in Exton will be about 74,000 square feet and will have 120 private suites, a 4,500-square-foot therapy gym with the latest therapy equipment, spa services, a large movie theater, game room and walking trails, as well as bistros, an on-site chef and more. It creates “aggressive, highly personalized plans” to get patients home sooner, Rohrbaugh added.
“I’ve had people come in and say, ‘are you sure I’m in the right place’ ” because of its hotel ambiance, Rohrbaugh said.
The new center will employ approximately 250 people, a development that makes area economic development officials happy.
“They are committing not only to the community’s physical health, but to its economic health as well by adding 250 jobs,” said MaryFrances McGarrity, senior vice president of business development services at the Chester County Economic Development Council.
According to Genesis, All Powerback private suites come with:
• “7-7-7 Rehabilitation” therapy (seven days a week, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.) in a 4,500 square foot rehab gym;
• “1-2-4” - (Nursing, Therapy and Physician assessments done within first four hours of admission;
• Daily physician/nurse practitioner rounding - fulltime physicians and nurse practitioners on staff;
• Care Transition Nurse, for 30 days post discharge;
• Café-style and inroom dining services offering a wide variety of meal choices; • Therapy pool; • Wireless Internet, flatscreen TVs and iPads;
• Patients can pre-book their stay by calling before their hospital procedures.
Genesis HealthCare has 500 skilled nursing centers and assisted/senior living communities in 34 states.