Grady Health System has announced the opening of a new 24-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit at 953-bed Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, US enhancing its comprehensive care offerings.

The unit is designed to assist patients recovering from severe conditions such as strokes, brain and spinal cord injuries, along with amputations and orthopaedic conditions.

This new facility aims to optimise the recovery process for patients needing to regain everyday life skills following significant health events.

It will have a multidisciplinary team, including nurses, physiatrists, case managers, and occupational, physical and speech therapists.

Professionals are specially trained and certified to focus on long-term rehabilitation and therapy sessions, aiming to restore function and independence of patients.

The unit is equipped with a rehabilitation gym and features advanced technology, including a ceiling-mounted body-weight support and fall protection system, motorised parallel bars, a simulation staircase, and a home simulation nourishment area.

Grady president and CEO John Haupert said: “As the city's only Level I trauma centre, this new unit will help us meet the growing demand for specialized inpatient rehabilitative care in Atlanta and across the region.

“It can be a long road to recovery for the type of serious conditions and traumatic injuries Grady's care teams treat, and we want to ensure patients can start getting the care they need as soon as possible.”

Grady Health System encompasses the Grady Memorial Hospital, seven neighbourhood health centres, Correll Pavilion, Crestview Health & Rehabilitation Center and operates the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding as a Children's affiliate.

The health system focuses on providing emergency medical services and is the sole Level I trauma centre in Atlanta, also serving as the 911 ambulance provider for the city.

Grady physical medicine and rehabilitation chief Dr Mark Hinrichs said: “The inpatient rehabilitation unit eliminates the need to transfer patients to other facilities and allows us to continue fulfilling Grady's mission by providing seamless support and care to our patients and their families.”

In April this year, Grady announced plans to establish a freestanding emergency department in Fulton County, Georgia.