Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network broke ground on a state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital that 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.

Nationally, only a handful of free-standing rehabilitation hospitals are built each year. When the doors open in early 2023, Good Shepherd’s new four-story, 76-private-bed hospital will be the only free-standing rehabilitation hospital in the region, serving as a destination for medical rehabilitation and employing more than 300 people.

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

The 123,000-square-foot rehabilitation hospital is situated on 45 acres of Good Shepherd-owned land across from The Promenade Shops of Saucon Valley, near Route 309 and Interstate 78 in Upper Saucon Township. It features two innovative offerings:

• The Experience Center, a game-changing hub that offers 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. Good Shepherd announced a partnership with Moravian University earlier this month to create the Good Shepherd/Moravian University 3D Experience in the new hospital.

• Outdoor Therapy and Activity Gardens, featuring innovative ways for patients to undergo therapy and participate in activities while staying at the rehabilitation hospital. From gardening and trails to outdoor green space and activity areas, the gardens’ 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.

“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,” says Sandeep Singh, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Program Director of Good Shepherd’s Spinal Cord Injury Program. “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.”

Francis Cauffman Architects of Philadelphia is the project’s architect.

IMC Construction of Malvern is the construction company. KRN Development of Memphis, Tennessee, is the land developer.

Pure Project Management of Philadelphia is the project manager. Pennoni of Philadelphia is the engineering consultant.