SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Kanawha Valley health system is thinking outside the box when it comes to treating patients from start to finish on one campus.
Thomas Health System and Stonerise Healthcare have announced a $17 million post-acute care facility that will be located next to Thomas Memorial Hospital in South Charleston.
The plan fits into the federal model of fee-for-value in health management and hospital based accountability for patient care, Thomas Health System spokesperson Paige Johnson said.
“We’ve got to adapt to these new changing models of payments and how we get reimbursed as a health care facility so we’ve got to adapt to those changes while continuing to provide excellent medical care,” Johnson said.
The two-story, 71,000 square foot facility will provide six post-acute care services. After being treated at Thomas Memorial Hospital patients needing additional care won’t have to leave the campus, Johnson said.
“It’s really an easy way to provide care to your family so you don’t have to think about the next step because the next step is right here,” Johnson said.
Construction on the facility, believed to be the first of its kind in the region, will begin later this year with completion scheduled for 2017. It’s expected to create approximately 100 health care-related jobs.
A news release said the post-acute units will include pulmonary rehab; cardiac telemetry rehab and joint replacement rehab; wound care; cancer & palliative care and long-term care.
Having the care from start to finish in one location will be a relief for families, according to Johnson.
“Whenever you put your mom or your dad in the hospital and you don’t want to think about what’s going to happen next—this is the one place you can go,” she said.
The project still needs the approval of the state Health Care Authority.