A $6.2 million tech-forward rehab facility opened Thursday at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison, making it the only stroke and surgery recovery center of its kind in the region, according to Allegheny Health Network officials.
“This is equipment that few centers have,” hospital President Dr. Mark Rubino said.
The innovation promotes both physical and mental healing, readying patients to reembrace life, he said.
Therapy boards that test cognition and mobility sit alongside specialized treadmills equipped with harnesses.
A large room holds other futuristic-looking equipment, including virtual reality goggles to challenge a patient’s balance and attention. Videos can simulate everyday functions, such as grocery shopping or laundry, which require patients to bend or reach.
The expansion increases inpatient rehab space by 70%, from 17 to 29 beds, and establishes Allegheny Valley Hospital as the health network’s central rehab hub for people recovering from injuries, surgery and serious illness.
“This is a critical investment for health and wellness in Allegheny County,” said county Executive Sara Innamorato.
“All of this technology restores confidence and allows people to move forward more quickly with their recovery.”
Innamorato joined state Sen. Lindsey Williams and Harrison Commissioner Justin Johnson for the celebratory opening.
AHN Hospitals President Lou Baverso said the expansion will benefit an aging population and address rising rates of chronic conditions.
Last year, more than 300 rehab patients were treated in Harrison.
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. Locally, Independence Health System closed its inpatient rehab at Latrobe Hospital in 2024.
But Rubino said it’s more than just adding beds.
The increased capacity impacts clinical care by streamlining AHN’s rehab program, sending patients to Harrison from Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, which closed its rehab unit Wednesday.
The move brought an additional 40 employees to the Allegheny Valley Hospital.
Forbes, meanwhile, will convert its former rehab space into 20 new medical-surgical beds to meet the demand for acute care and improve patient flow in its emergency department.
Rubino said AHN’s regional approach helps keep patients in a community setting and allows families to more actively participate in their care.
“This recognizes that recovery is not only physical but emotional,” said Williams, whose district covers Harrison.
She was excited about the commitment to the Alle-Kiski Valley, saying it helps bring the local hospital to its full potential.
“Families are thankful for not forgetting us up here in Natrona Heights,” Williams said.
The AVH rehab touts unique equipment designed for physical as well as psychological recovery, Rubino said.
For example, a harness that supports a patient’s weight while they learn to walk prevents a fall, which in turn promotes activity in an earlier stage of recovery and spurs confidence.
Other equipment includes electrical stimulation for upper and lower extremities, cognitive and driving assessment tools, and innovative speech and swallowing therapies.
“This is a great investment for the Alle-Kiski Valley,” Johnson said. “The community needs to be aware that this is not the same hospital they saw when they were young.”
AHN received $300,000 toward construction from the Alle-Kiski Medical Center Trust, a nonprofit focused on health care initiatives.
Robin Bergstrom, former Harrison commissioner and current trust chair, said her board routinely debates the value of donation requests to determine whether they align with the Trust’s mission.
“This was a unanimous yes,” she said.