A $6.2 million expansion at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison will boost inpatient rehabilitation space by 70% and establish it as a rehab hub for parent company Allegheny Health Network.

Space for patients recovering from injuries, surgery and serious illness will increase from 17 to 29 beds.

Hospital President Dr. Mark Rubino said the move is a response to patient demand in the health system’s eastern footprint.

And the need isn’t limited to that area.

Hospitals across the U.S. are suffering a shortage of rehab beds, according to UCLA Health research published in February in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It’s driven by an aging population and, in some cases, by staffing shortages at step-down facilities like nursing homes. Not enough workers means a delay in accepting new patients.

That’s the case in Pennsylvania, where there is a shortage of nearly 2,600 rehab care providers to meet state staffing ratio requirements, according to trade association LeadingAge PA.

The group’s website projected a need for 20,000 more care providers by 2032.

Overall, hospital occupancy rates are rising so much that they could reach 85% capacity by 2032, according to researchers at UCLA.

Expansion at Allegheny Valley aims to lessen the strain locally. Work is being paid for by AHN and the Alle-Kiski Medical Trust, a nonprofit focused on health care initiatives.

The move will put the Allegheny Valley hub on par with other hospital-based rehab facilities in the area. Most locally, UPMC has a 28-bed facility at St. Margaret hospital near Aspinwall, a 19-bed facility at UPMC East in Monroeville and a 24-bed facility at UPMC Passavant in McCandless, according to UPMC’s website.

The Allegheny Valley Hospital hub, expected to be completed by the end of the year, will allow the hospital to accommodate patients from AHN Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, which will close its rehab unit by the end of the year. Rubino also is president of Forbes.

At the same time, Forbes will increase its medical and surgical capacity for inpatient or observation beds for patients heading into or coming out of surgery, or those with acute or chronic illnesses that don’t require care in an intensive care unit.

The expansion builds on Allegheny Valley’s traumatic brain injury program, certified by the global nonprofit Joint Commission, which sets standards for health care.

Jeff Carlson, chief operating officer at Allegheny Valley and Forbes, said Allegheny Valley already boasts a strong and growing rehab program. By making the space the AHN northern hub, “we can help patients recover more effectively,” he said.

Last year, more than 300 rehab patients were treated there.

Crucial investments will be made in clinical care technology.

A robotic gait system will help people with neurological or orthopedic issues. Designed for people in recovery from stroke, spinal cord injury or balance disorders, a harness helps patients regain mobility and build confidence.

An electronic rail is mounted to the ceiling and helps support a patient’s weight while they learn to maneuver for daily activities such as walking, cooking or bathing.

“It allows them to perform these daily functions with support, to prevent them from falling, which enables the activities in an earlier stage of recovery while patients are still developing strength,” Rubino said.

Specialized treadmills, called Lokostations, are designed to deliver the same assistance.

“When you have help that allows you to walk at an earlier stage, there are psychological benefits,” Rubino said. “For someone to be able to get up and move around, as opposed to being bed-ridden, it’s huge.”

As part of the work, the hospital’s progressive care unit was relocated to the first floor, adjacent to the ICU.

At Forbes, the inpatient rehab unit will be converted into 20 new medical-surgical beds, enabling the hospital to better manage patient volume.

It is expected to reduce wait times, minimize patient transfers and improve the overall patient flow and experience. Forbes’ emergency department saw more than 40,000 visitors last year.

There will be no effect on surgeries scheduled at Allegheny Valley, Rubino said.

“We have been integrating some of the operations and clinical services between the two hospitals because the service areas overlap nicely, and it helps keep people in the community setting,” Rubino said. “We’re approaching it from a regional standpoint.”

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