Member News Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 25, 2010
Silver Cross Hospital and The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Partner to Expand Rehabilitation Care to Meet the Growing Needs of Will County
Silver Cross Hospital and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), today announced a strategic partnership that will expand post-acute physical medicine and rehabilitation services in Will County and the southwest Chicagoland communities. The new partnership will provide world-class rehabilitative care for a range of conditions for patients close to home. Silver Cross is the only healthcare facility in the area with this breadth of services in partnership with RIC.
RIC is world-renowned for both its clinical excellence as demonstrated by its ranking as the "#1 Rehabilitation Hospital in America" by U.S. News & World Report every year since 1991, as well as its innovative research programs in the areas of neural engineering, bionic medicine and robotics.
"Silver Cross Hospital is proud to align with the widely acclaimed Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to provide comprehensive rehabilitation care to our patients," said Paul Pawlak, Silver Cross Hospital President and CEO. "It is a mark of distinction for Silver Cross Hospital to partner with a healthcare leader like RIC. The expertise that RIC brings through this partnership underscores Silver Cross's dedication to delivering '100 Top' care and making a difference in the lives of those we serve."
Together, Silver Cross and RIC provides rehabilitation services in inpatient and outpatient care settings. Additionally, the RIC team provides physical therapy services for patients on the hospital's medical and surgical floors.
Expert Care
Rehabilitation services are provided by an accomplished team of health
professionals, including physiatrists, which are physicians that specialize in
physical medicine and rehabilitation, occupational and physical therapists,
speech-language pathologists, dietitians, recreational and developmental
therapists, audiologists and rehabilitation nurses.
"Through this unique partnership with Silver Cross, RIC is able to extend its mission of providing comprehensive rehabilitation care to a community with an aging population that will have an increasing need for these services," said Joanne C. Smith, M.D., president and CEO, RIC. "Together, our two institutions will enable citizens with conditions such as stroke, cancer and brain injury to restore function, return abilities and ultimately, enhance the quality of their lives."
Norma Kollman of New Lenox was one of the first patients to be cared for by the RIC team at Silver Cross. She recently spent 32 days on the inpatient rehabilitation unit after suffering from a stroke. "I couldn't walk and had difficulty talking, but the staff were so helpful and really wanted to see me do better," Kollman said. "After intense physical, occupational and speech therapy, I am doing so much better now walking using just a cane. I got such good care from the RIC staff at Silver Cross that I wouldn't go anywhere else. They're the best."
Kollman continues to improve with the outpatient rehabilitative care she receives at RIC's nearby DayRehab Center in Willowbrook. With this new partnership, Silver Cross patients have access to all of RIC's vast resources with 30 locations throughout the Chicago and Northwest Indiana communities.
Close to Home
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago will manage rehabilitation services at the
following locations:
- Silver Cross Hospital
Inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient physical and occupational therapy and speech and language pathology services
1200. Maple Rd.
Joliet, IL 60432
(815) 740-7110 - Silver Cross Professional Building—New Lenox
Outpatient physical and occupational therapy services
250 E. Maple St.
New Lenox, IL 60451
(815) 463-6123 - Silver Cross Professional Building—West Joliet
Outpatient physical and occupational therapy services
1051 Essington Rd.
Joliet, IL 60436
(815) 744-4559
About Silver Cross Hospital
Silver Cross Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider serving Will
County and southwest suburban communities since 1895. Silver Cross has been
recognized as a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Award winner for the
last five consecutive years and as one of America's Most Customer Friendly
Hospitals by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. With over 2,500
employees, physicians and volunteers, Silver Cross operates a 304-bed acute care
hospital and eight satellite facilities providing outpatient services and
physician offices. Construction has begun to build a state-of-the-art
replacement hospital opening in 2012 in New Lenox. To learn more about Silver
Cross Hospital's lactation services call 815-740-1234 ext. 7321 or visit
www.silvercross.org.
About The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) is making a difference in the
world for people with disabilities. RIC provides world-class care to patients
from around the globe for a range of conditions from acute brain and spinal cord
injury to chronic arthritis, pain and sports injuries. RIC, founded in 1954,
has been designated the "#1 Rehabilitation Hospital in America" by U.S. News &
World Report every year since 1991 and attributes its leading standard of care
in part to its innovative research and discovery, particularly in the areas of
bionic medicine, robotics, neural regeneration, pain care and better outcomes.
RIC operates its 165-bed, Flagship hospital in downtown Chicago, as well as a
network of 30 sites of care located throughout the city and surrounding suburbs
that provide additional inpatient care, day rehabilitation and outpatient
services. RIC also maintains strategic alliances with leading healthcare
providers throughout the state of Illinois and Indiana. For more information,
visit www.ric.org.
