Kaweah Health Celebrates 30 Years of Rehabilitation Hospital

VISALIA, Calif. — Kaweah Health celebrated its Rehabilitation Hospital's 30th anniversary with an Open House on April 10. From its humble beginnings with just 14 beds, the program has expanded to include 45 licensed beds for mobility and self-care rehabilitation, 16 Skilled Nursing beds, cardiac rehab, a wound center, a 32-bed subacute hospital, and six outpatient clinics throughout the region.

“Rehabilitation is one of Kaweah Health’s pillars of excellence,” said Jag Batth, Kaweah Health chief operating officer, who began his career in acute rehabilitation. “Our outcomes are among the best in the nation.”

Those outcomes reflect Kaweah Health’s dedication to ensuring patients not only receive life-saving care but also return to living their lives as independently as possible. Kaweah Health’s rehabilitation program features:

• The only comprehensive cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation program in the South Valley
• The only adult rehabilitation program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) in the South Valley
• The first CARF-accredited amputation specialty program in the Central Valley
• The only CARF-accredited stroke program in Tulare and Kings counties

Tulare County Supervisor Amy Shuklian, who worked at the Rehabilitation Hospital for 17 years, encourages friends, family members, and others who need rehabilitation to seek treatment at Kaweah Health.

“At Kaweah Health rehab, you are going to get some of the best care in the Central Valley,” Shuklian said.

She added that the staff makes the Rehabilitation Hospital exceptional.

“Their compassion for their patients and their desire to see their patients succeed is what makes this place so special,” Shuklian said.

Former Patient John Martin, who needed rehab after a broken leg, echoed those sentiments.

“I love the people at Kaweah Health rehab. They really helped me, worked with me, and encouraged me when I was afraid of falling,” Martin said.

Former patients even come back to help current patients through Kaweah Health’s Peer Support program. Peer Support volunteers have been through the physical and occupational therapy program and they share an understanding and genuine respect for current patients’ health challenges and concerns. They offer guidance and encouragement based on their own experiences to help patients reach their full potential.

Six of these volunteers were honored Thursday: Jeff Bottoms, Sandra Costa, Doug Henderson, Mark Saltzman, Jim Taylor, and Mark Wilson.

Kaweah Health’s Rehabilitation Hospital opened in May 1994 and continues to offer the most advanced physical, occupational and speech therapy equipment available, including the longest SafeGait360°™ track in the nation, a newly added outdoor mobility training course, a Bioness Integrated Therapy System to address visual and cognitive deficits, and a fiberoptic endoscope for the evaluation of swallow. For more information on Kaweah Health’s rehabilitation services, visit KaweahHealth.org/Rehab.