McLaren Macomb expands services, opens inpatient rehabilitation unit

As part of its effort to offer a complete continuum of care for its patients, McLaren Macomb has expanded its services to include inpatient rehabilitation. The new unit is a uniquely designed inpatient unit in which patients recovering from surgery, injury or illness undergo specialized, intensive and supervised rehabilitation to regain their physical capabilities and independence.

Opening the unit and expanding the service within McLaren Macomb allows patients who are recovering from stroke, traumatic injury, brain injury, amputation or other conditions to advance their recovery at the hospital that initially treated them rather than being transferred to another facility.

A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses and therapists will coordinate the patients’ care to ensure they reach the point in their recovery to be safely discharged from the hospital and effectively continue their rehab at home or in an outpatient setting. Physiatrist Dr. Michelle Bradley, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, will oversee the new unit as its medical director.

“Even though they have advanced into their initial recovery, many patients, due to the severity of their illness or injury, or for other factors, are not yet at the point where they can yet be discharged home,” Dr. Bradley said. “Patients recover best at home, in a familiar, comfortable environment, and getting them to the point where they can actively continue productive rehabilitation at home is advantageous for everyone.”

The 18-bed unit contains a rehabilitation gym with specialized equipment using the latest technology, and a living center designed to reflect the home environment, allowing patients to practice daily activities (such as getting up from the couch, out of bed, using the tub, cooking in the kitchen, among many others) under the guidance of clinical professionals.

Construction of the new unit began in the summer of 2020 and was completed in early February shortly before it opened. McLaren Macomb invested $12 million into the entire project.

“The unit will provide an immeasurable benefit to our community, who deserve to have their entire continuum of care close to home and their support system,” said Tom Brisse, president and CEO of McLaren Macomb. “An inpatient rehabilitation unit has been a goal of this hospital for many years, decades even. To see this project realized is very exciting to many people, both to those of us here now and those who are a part of our hospital’s extensive history.”

The opening of the new service marks the next in a successive line of projects expanding McLaren Macomb’s services or access to care. In the summer of 2020, the hospital opened the Wayne and Joan Webber Emergency and Trauma Center, the largest emergency department in Macomb County. Just before the close of the year, a new, larger Medical Outreach Clinic was debuted. Additionally, McLaren Macomb regularly introduces new procedures or pieces of medical technology to the area.

Learn more about the services offered at McLaren Macomb at mclaren.org/macomb.

About McLaren Macomb

McLaren Macomb is a 288-bed acute care hospital located in Mount Clemens, Mich. More than 400 physicians and nearly 2,000 employees work at McLaren Macomb making it one of Macomb County’s top employers. McLaren Macomb provides a full range of services, including cancer and cardiovascular care. As Macomb County’s first verified trauma center, the hospital operates the busiest emergency department in Macomb County and is also an accredited chest pain center. McLaren Macomb has a rich history of providing high quality, compassionate health care and holds a strong position in the community it serves. To learn more, visit mclaren.org/macomb.

About McLaren Health Care

McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a $6 billion, fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 15 hospitals in Michigan and Ohio, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 490-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 588,000 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S. McLaren has 28,000 full-, part-time and contracted employees and more than 90,000 network providers throughout Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Learn more at mclaren.org.