Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) is opening an inpatient rehabilitation facility for adults 18 years and older this summer inside the Kasych Family Pavilion's South Tower at Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest, Salisbury Township.

The 34-bed facility will occupy the sixth and seventh floors of the tower, which was expanded last year. Patient rooms in the facility will be private.

The inpatient rehabilitation facility is expected to bring more than 125 new jobs to LVHN. Qualified candidates are urged to consider those jobs when they are posted at LVHN.org-careers.

"This new facility will allow us to continue to address the needs of our community," said Brian Nester, DO, MBA, FACOEP, LVHN president and chief executive officer.

"By providing short-term intensive rehabilitation, we're ensuring a seamless continuum of care for patients without leaving our health network. In addition, having the unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest allows patients access to our specialists should any additional medical problems arise."

The inpatient rehabilitation facility will provide a minimum of three hours of intensive, specialized rehabilitation therapy almost every day for an average of two weeks for patients whose conditions require such care. People recovering from conditions such as stroke, neurological disorders, orthopedic injuries, amputations, post-surgical conditions or other debilitations are most likely to use the unit.

"Our inpatient rehabilitation team will strive to help each patient regain function and return to the highest level of independence," Nester said.

The new unit is said to be a key component in Lehigh Valley Health Network recently being named a Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO).

Being an ACO means LVHN will be held accountable for coordinating care provided to more than 32,000 Medicare beneficiaries. LVHN estimates indicate that 75 percent of the recipients of our inpatient rehabilitation services will be Medicare patients.