LYNNWOOD – A rehabilitation hospital north of Lynnwood is set to open its doors, providing 40 new beds for patients recovering from injuries or illnesses.

Providence Swedish Rehabilitation Hospital, a $50 million, 60,000-square-foot inpatient facility, will begin accepting patients next week. Dozens of health care leaders, city officials and community members celebrated the opening Wednesday at 12911 Beverly Park Road.

The newly constructed hospital will replace rehabilitation treatment at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. The 20-bed rehabilitation facility on the hospital’s Pacific Campus is too small and outdated, said Dara Headrick, medical director of the new hospital.

“This is more than just a building, it is a beacon of hope for those in need of healing,” Headrick said. “Today we begin a new chapter.”

The rehabilitation program is for patients recovering from serious illnesses and injuries such as stroke, brain and spinal cord trauma and amputation. The new space includes an eight-bed brain injury unit, dialysis and bariatric suites and several therapy rooms. Patients typically work with physical and occupational therapists for three hours a day, five days a week. Patients can also practice everyday tasks such as cooking, doing laundry, playing pickleball and even driving a car – a Smart car sits in the corner of one of the therapy rooms.

Thomas Cottrell of Marysville showed up for the new facility on Wednesday. He said Providence Everett staff helped him recover from a stroke in 2022 that left him paralyzed for weeks.

“I remember my first steps,” Cottrell said. “I remember my first milestone when I ran 15 meters. Now I can run 4 kilometers.”

The new hospital doubles the number of rehab beds in Providence County. The upgrade is desperately needed, said Kristy Carrington, CEO of Providence Swedish North Puget Sound, because Washington consistently ranks at the bottom in the number of hospital beds per capita. For decades, hospitals and rehab programs in Washington, including Providence Everett, have struggled with an influx of patients and limited bed capacity.

Lifepoint Rehabilitation, a branch of Tennessee-based Lifepoint Health, will manage the hospital. Providence and Lifepoint have worked together for more than a decade to provide rehabilitation services, including at the Pacific Campus in Everett. In 2021, the companies submitted an application to the state Department of Health for a certificate of need for the new building. Once approved, construction took about 16 months, said David Stark, chief operating officer of Lifepoint Rehabilitation.

Providence has been negotiating with unionized staff about the impact of the Pacific Campus closure, including job transfers. The hospital notified rehabilitation nurses, technicians and therapists a year ago, spokeswoman Erika Hermanson said, and most therapists chose to transfer to Lifepoint’s new location, while nurses chose other jobs at Providence. Lifepoint will staff the hospital going forward, Hermanson said.

Patients currently undergoing rehab treatment at Providence Everett will remain there until they are ready to be discharged, Hermanson added. The new hospital will accept patients by referral.

Although the hospital has a Lynnwood address, it is located in unincorporated Snohomish County. It is part of Mukilteo’s urban growth area, a swath of land that Mayor Joe Marine wants to incorporate into the city limits. He and Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell discussed the matter on Wednesday.

“We would be very proud to have this facility in Mukilteo,” Marine said, smiling at Frizzell.

Regardless of the address, Frizzell said the hospital would be a welcome addition to Snohomish County.

“I realize this is not just a medical facility,” Frizzell said. “This is not just about taking care of a body. This is about taking care of a person.”

Sydney Jackson: 425-339-3430; [email protected]; Twitter: @_sydneyajackson.

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