ClearSky Health recently announced plans to build a 36-bed medical rehabilitation hospital in Lake City.

ClearSky Health, headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, operates 10 hospitals in Arizona, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico. The rehabilitative healthcare provider has six more hospitals in planning stages in Wisconsin, Florida, Texas and Ohio.

According to a press release, “The new hospital will provide specialized rehabilitative care to patients recovering from disabling injuries or illnesses such as strokes, brain injuries, hip fractures, spinal injuries, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or other medically-complex conditions like COVID-19. It will be located on 7.5 acres south of West U.S. Highway 90 and treat more than 650 patients annually. It’s expected to create 100 new jobs for the area.”

Groundbreaking for the Lake City hospital is planned for winter 2023 with the projected opening in winter 2024.  

“We’re looking forward to serving this region with a higher level of rehabilitative care,” said Darby Brockette, CEO of ClearSky Health, in the press release. “ClearSky Lake City will differ from other rehabilitative programs because of its highly trained team, specialized equipment, state-of-the-art facility, and integrative approach.”

Brockette explained that the Lake City medical rehabilitation hospital will:  

• Be licensed and accredited
• Use an interdisciplinary team approach to care
• Have a physician with specialized training in rehabilitation supervise medical services
• Provide rehabilitative nursing 24/7
• Offer patients therapy for a minimum of 15 hours a week

Jennifer Goff Daniels, Economic Development Director for Columbia County, said that the addition of ClearSky Health in the community will be beneficial for residents.

“The new hospital will strengthen healthcare services currently available in Columbia County as well as surrounding counties, while creating additional job opportunities,” she said in the press release. “People won’t have to travel out of town to obtain this level of care, which is advantageous for not only the patients, but their families, friends, and caregivers as well.”

The new 45,000-square-foot building will feature all private rooms, an activity of daily living space to allow patients to receive therapy in rooms that emulate home conditions, a dining room with a dedicated chef and food service staff, a rehabilitative gym with specialized equipment and one-on-one therapy and an outside therapeutic courtyard that provides various walking terrains.

“Our staff will go above and beyond normal service expectations to provide patients with optimal results,” Brockette said. “We’re honored to bring this level of care to the community.”