A rendering of the Good Shepherd rehabilitation hospital, which is expected to open its doors in early 2023. (image courtesy Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network)

Nationally, less than 10 rehabilitation hospitals are built each year. But the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network broke ground on one this week, a four-story hospital that will serve as a destination for medical rehabilitation and employ more than 300 people.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Sept. 22 for the state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital, a 123,000-square-foot building that will be located on 45 acres of land in Upper Saucon Township, across from The Promenade Shops of Saucon Valley. 

“Today marks the start of a transformational event for Good Shepherd and a special moment for the greater Lehigh Valley,” said Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network President & CEO Michael Spigel.

“As the only hospital in the region focused solely on rehabilitation, Good Shepherd will have the space to develop and accelerate ideas, create new therapeutic interventions, develop innovative rehabilitative and assistive devices, and introduce new independence solutions to our patients and community members, making people’s lives better,” Spigel said.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held on Sept. 23, during National Rehabilitation Awareness Week. (photo courtesy Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network)

Spigel had previously been interviewed by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) as part of its video interview series with new executives in the region. Spigel spoke about plans for the new hospital in the video, which can be viewed here.

The 76-private-bed hospital will revolutionize treatment and recovery options for people with complex medical conditions, such as stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury, and other serious injuries or illnesses, officials said, It is expected to open its doors in early 2023.

The hospital will feature two innovative offerings. One is The Experience Center, a hub that will offer people with disabilities and other mobility challenges an environment to explore the latest advancements, such as 3D printing, robotics, wearables, artificial intelligence, and smart home and personal assistance devices.

The Experience Center is designed to promote healing and independence, Spigel said. Good Shepherd announced a partnership with Moravian University earlier this month to create the Good Shepherd | Moravian University 3D Experience in the new hospital.

The hospital’s second innovative offering is its Outdoor Therapy and Activity Gardens, which will feature innovative ways for patients to undergo therapy and participate in activities while staying at the rehabilitation hospital, officials said. This will include such activities as gardening, trails, outdoor green space, and activity areas.

These offerings were identified and designed by a group of Good Shepherd staff members to help patients achieve their goals and return to their favorite activities, according to Sandeep Singh, Chief Medical Officer & Program Director of Good Shepherd’s Spinal Cord Injury Program.

“Patients turn to Good Shepherd for healing, hope and solutions to very real problems that limit their independence and hinder their ability to accomplish their dreams,” Singh said. “Whether a patient wants to dance at his daughter’s wedding, walk across a graduation stage or play with her grandchild, we find solutions that help each patient go further and achieve more.” 

Gary Schmidt, Chair of Good Shepherd’s Board of Trustees, said the network chose to hold its groundbreaking during the third week of September for National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, during which they recognize and celebrate our patients and staff, and the communities they serve.

“This transformational project is a gamechanger for those we serve and those we work alongside,” Schmidt said. “We are very proud to use this project, and this moment, to raise the bar for rehabilitation, not just in our region, but across America.”

Headquartered in Allentown, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network has more than 70 locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and is committed to providing an exceptional patient experience for all ages and stages by developing leading-edge solutions to often complex medical situations, as well as serving as a test site for the newest rehabilitation technologies.

FCA (Francis Cauffman Architects) of Philadelphia is the project’s architect, and IMC Construction of Malvern, Pa., is the construction company. KRN Development of Memphis, Tenn., is the land developer, Pure Project Management of Philadelphia is the project manager, and Pennoni of Philadelphia is the engineering consultant.