Southern Regional decides to wait on building an acute rehabilitation center

Southern

Regional decides to wait on building an acute rehabilitation center

Southern Regional Health

System announced recently it has withdrawn its application to launch an

inpatient acute rehabilitation program, to consider updates in state's

data for reviewing such projects.

Southern Regional's

inpatient rehab center would be only the second such center in south Metro

Atlanta.

"There

remains a great need for a rehab program in our area, and we hope to serve

that need. We are pulling back at this time to evaluate new application

considerations from the state," said Rick Smith, PR and marketing

director at Southern Regional Health System.

Georgia hospitals

must obtain a certificate of need from state health planning regulators

in order to open new facilities such as inpatient rehab centers. Regulators

told Southern Regional recently that additional information was being

added to the review process, including revised census data and other statistical

considerations.

Currently there

is only one inpatient rehab facility in the south metro area, compared

with more than 15 north of Interstate 20. Most Southside acute rehab patients

now receive treatment in north Atlanta or even at Warm Springs, more than

60 miles away to the south.

"The current

situation is unfortunate for many south Atlanta residents and families

alike," Smith said. "We are confident we can show that our hospital

is well equipped to meet the need for more acute rehab services. But our

project team has to weigh these adjustments in the application process."

Southern Regional

Health System provides comprehensive health resources including: Southern

Regional Medical Center, a 406-bed, full-service hospital in Riverdale,

featuring a state-of-the-art outpatient surgery center, a women's center,

a Diabetes Resource Center and one of the busiest and best emergency departments

in the state; RiverWoods, Southern Regional Psychiatric Center, a psychiatric

facility with a complete continuum of behavioral care services; Southern

Regional Homecare, a home health agency providing home health services

and the Surgery Center at Mt. Zion, a multi-specialty surgery center in

Morrow, Ga.

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