Friday, August 30, 2002

Southern Regional refiles application for rehab center

Southern Regional Health System announced this week that it has re-filed its application to launch an inpatient acute rehabilitation program. The 20-bed center would be only the second inpatient rehab facility in the Atlanta metro area south of Interstate 20.

"There is currently only one inpatient rehab center serving the one million people living in south Atlanta," said Ed Bonn, Southern Regional's president and CEO. "Southern Regional is committed to making this treatment available and convenient to the residents in the Southern Crescent."

Georgia hospitals must obtain a certificate of need from state health planning regulators in order to offer new services such as inpatient rehab centers.

Currently there is only one inpatient rehab facility in south metro Atlanta, compared with more than 15 north of I-20. Sixty-three percent of south metro residents drive outside the area to North Atlanta and even Warm Springs, more than 60 miles away, for acute rehab treatment.

"There is a great need for additional inpatient rehab services on the south side," Bonn said. "We are ready to serve this need." The estimated cost of the program is $3.3 million.

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.