MANITOWOC – ClearSky Health, a rehabilitative healthcare provider, announced plans to build a new 36-bed medical rehabilitation hospital in the village of Cleveland, Wis.
Groundbreaking is scheduled for this summer with the hospital scheduled to open in summer of 2024.
ClearSky Health owns and operates six hospitals in Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, and New Mexico, with nine more in planning stages across the nation in Arizona, Florida, Ohio, and additional Wisconsin and Texas locations.
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.
Located halfway between the cities of Manitowoc and Sheboygan, the hospital will treat more than 650 patients annually and create about 100 new jobs for the area.
“We look forward to providing a higher level of rehabilitative care to the region,” says Darby Brockette, CEO of ClearSky Health. “Our hospital will differ from other rehabilitative programs because of its highly trained team, specialized equipment, state-of-the-art facility, and integrative approach.”
Brockette said the new 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
Jamie Zastrow, Executive Director of Progress Lakeshore, says that community and healthcare leaders from its organization and the Village of Cleveland worked closely with ClearSky Health to bring them to the area.
“Our goal is to attract new businesses to Manitowoc County that will be beneficial to our residents,” she said. “The hospital will strengthen healthcare services currently available in the region, while creating additional job opportunities.”
Brockette said patients will be provided the highest standards of care, citing the hospital’s comprehensive stroke rehabilitation program as an example. The program will include review of 228 evidence-based recommendations from the American Stroke Association. Staff who will be specifically educated in stroke rehabilitation techniques and intervention will ensure that a treatment plan is created to fit the individual needs of each patient.
Another unique aspect of care will include staff involvement in a patient’s treatment after discharge from the hospital. Hospital personnel will continue to work with patients to ensure that they receive needed resources to reach the highest levels of independence and success during their recoveries.
“Providing this level of healthcare will enhance quality of life for all residents of the region,” says Jake Holzwart, president of the village of Cleveland. “Individuals can stay in the area to receive specialized rehabilitation instead of traveling elsewhere, which can cause additional financial and emotional stress to both patients and their family members.”
In addition to the specialized care, Holzwart adds that he’s excited about the job creation and career opportunities the hospital will bring to the area.
“ClearSky Health will offer new jobs and employ our residents as their skilled, professional staff,” he says. “We’re fortunate to be the benefactor of that.”
The new, state-of-the-art, 45,000-square-foot building will feature all private rooms, a rehabilitative gym with specialized equipment and one-on-one therapy, a dining room with a dedicated chef and food service staff, and an activity of daily living space to allow patients to receive therapy in rooms that emulate home conditions.
“Our goal is to help patients regain independence so they can return to their homes and daily activities as quickly as possible,” Brockette says. “Our staff will go above and beyond normal service expectations to provide patients with optimal results. We’re honored to bring this level of care to the community.”
