19 of 41 Beds in New Brain Injury Unit Were Ready for Occupancy July 20

(MALVERN, PA; July 31, 2006) -- An expansive, well-equipped Family Lounge and a new Therapy Gym with state-of-the-art equipment for optimal patient recovery are two new spaces now available in the Brain Injury Unit at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital in the Philadelphia suburbs.

A $2.9-million expansion and renovation project, which began in March and is scheduled for completion early next year, officially reached the halfway mark on July 20.  Nineteen patients with brain injuries were moved from the existing unit into the gleaming new space as contractors prepared to finish the remaining half of the construction project.

Donna M. Phillips, President of Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, said: "We are very excited about the new space, which will make it possible to cluster patients in different sections according to their levels of recovery.  The flexibility and openness of the new floor plan will give our patients greater treatment options and enable our clinicians and therapists to give them even more effective care."

When completed, the 41-bed Brain Injury Unit also will provide:

• An Intensive Monitoring Suite, which will make it possible to group severely injured, minimally conscious patients and those with more complex medical needs together for closer observation and therapy tailored to their needs.
• An Observation Room to provide a secure, monitored environment for more agitated patients so clinicians can tailor treatment to meet changing needs during this critical stage of recovery.
• An Independent Living space that simulates a home environment, which will enhance therapy as patients prepare for discharge.

Main Line Health -- which includes not only Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital but also Bryn Mawr, Lankenau and Paoli hospitals -- has committed $1.9 million toward the project, and the hospital launched a $1-million campaign in March to cover remaining construction costs.

David F. Long, M.D., medical director of the hospital's award-winning Brain Injury Program, said:  "The support for this project from many people in the communities served by Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital is making it possible for us to incorporate the latest treatment advances and to accommodate more patients."                    

About 600 brain injury patients receive inpatient care each year at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, and an additional 500 patients participate in the hospital's outpatient and day treatment programs designed to maximize their independence and help them return to active lives.  The program has grown by 50 percent in the last five years.

"Throughout the renovated unit, privacy and dignity for patients with brain injuries and their families will be paramount goals," said Dr. Long, who is co-chairman of the hospital's fundraising campaign, along with David N. Horwich, M.D., Chief of Internal Medicine.

Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital was one of the first hospitals in the Philadelphia area and the nation to specialize in treating brain injuries, beginning in 1971. Today, the hospital has 151 beds and treats a wide range of illnesses and injuries, including stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and orthopedic injuries. The Bryn Mawr Rehab Outpatient Network provides physical, occupational and speech therapy services for patients of all ages at seven convenient locations in Philadelphia's western suburbs. 

For more information about the hospital's Brain Injury Program or the fundraising campaign for the expanded unit, please contact Patricia Winner, Development Director, at 610-251-5638.

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Published:7-31-2006

Cynthia Atwood

Public Relations Coordinator

610-251-5710

atwoodc@mlhs.org