BOISE, Idaho — Tuesday marked the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital's new inpatient rehab unit, which is for children ages 1 to 14.
Before this, children had to travel out of state to get this type of rehabilitation care, including physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Experienced pediatric therapists and physicians will now be able to provide the care at St. Luke’s.
“This will allow us to sort of have much more seamless care for the children,” said Henry Thompson, system director at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital.
The project took ten years to complete, Thompson said. The unit is designed for kids who have experienced severe trauma or injuries – and need rehabilitation care to fully recover.
“They are unable to safely function at home, or their family is unable to care for them at home, and so therefore they need the next step of intensive rehab,” said Erin Conlee, director of the Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit for St. Luke’s.
Hospital officials said they will begin treating patients next week.