Molly Moon, RN
Partnerships bring rewards rehab hospital and developing YMCA prove it
story by James Coburn, Staff Writer
People value experiencing SSM Health’s dedication to community and personal health. December’s opening of SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital has been a smooth transition after the purchase of Valir Rehabilitation Hospital in midtown Oklahoma City.
Select Medical Corporation and SSM Health formed a joint venture partnership to operate a 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital – only a quick walk south of SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital.
Additionally, SSM Health is partnering to build a new YMCA in walking distance from SSM Health St. Anthony – Midwest.
Employees, physical therapists, and nurses that were at the Valir facility, opted to stay when SSM offered to secure their positions. Individuals that were at St. Anthony moved to the facility as well, said Stacy Coleman, president of SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest. She is also the vice president of SSM strategy and business development.
Select Medical Corporation is a national inpatient and outpatient company. SSM has partnerships with Select in its St. Louis market that have worked well, Coleman said.
“When we were looking to expand our inpatient rehab program, we talked with Select because of the positive relationship we have with them in St. Louis,” Coleman said.
SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital needed to expand beyond their 12 inpatient-rehab beds. They learned that Valir wanted to sell its rehabilitation hospital while keeping Valir PACE and its hospice programs.
“This allowed us to move into a bigger facility that’s dedicated just to patient rehab,” Coleman said. “It’s right down the street from St. Anthony. They’re on the same EPIC where physicians can continue to monitor their patients while they’re in inpatient rehab, just as they would in the hospital. We’re able to have a 50-bed hospital now.”
Molly Moon, RN, nursing manager, said she found a long-tenured, dedicated nursing staff when joining the SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital team. Some of the nurses have worked for Valir for 10-19 years.
“I’m super excited about the transition. I think it’s going to benefit the patients in many ways,” Moon said. “I’m really excited about all of the policies, protocols, and education we get to use with SSM to make our staff more competent in delivering patient care. They have a very high standard of training and orientation, a very thorough and robust fall program. All of those things go into providing better patient outcomes.”
Education opportunities by Select Medical results in a higher competency rating for patient outcomes, Moon said.
Moon said nurses choose the field rehabilitation because it’s enriching to see patients get better.
Rehabilitation enables individuals to return to their personal best.
“We want to get people back to their community and back to their lives,” Moon said.
Coleman loves the revitalization SSM Health has brought to the midtown area, the metroplex and the partnerships in Midwest City that are funding a new YMCA. The City of Midwest City, Mid-Del Schools, SSM Health, St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest, and the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City agree to construct a 74,000 square-foot facility at the intersection of Parklawn Drive and National Avenue, just a few steps away from SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital.
“It’s a great thing for a school district to have a competitive aquatic facility that they don’t have to manage all the time,” Coleman said. “We are so excited they have chosen to build the new YMCA in close proximity to the hospital.”
The YMCA will be great for SSM employees who already have a portion of their YMCA membership paid by SSM.
“That’s going to be great in proximity for the employees who work at the hospital,” Coleman continued. “Plus, we’re adding childcare to the YMCA, so there will be dedicated spots for employees at the hospital that need childcare that will be 300 yards away from the hospital.”
Additionally, SSM Health is in the planning stages of having an outpatient rehab program at the YMCA.
“That way, people who are needing outpatient physical therapy will be able to use that lovely facility,” Coleman said.
She has been with SSM Health for 30 years, which includes two years at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest.
“There’s a lot that keeps you at SSM,” said Coleman, who started with SSM while earning her MHA at the University of Oklahoma and went on to work in the SSM business office. “I love the mission of SSM Health, ‘Through our exceptional health care services we reveal the healing presence of God.’”
