MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - Healthcare leaders broke ground Tuesday (October 27th) on a brand-new inpatient rehabilitation hospital designed to give Rutherford County patients advanced recovery options without driving to Nashville.

Ascension Saint Thomas and Lifepoint Rehabilitation, a business unit of Brentwood-based Lifepoint Health, celebrated the start of construction for the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Rehabilitation Hospital. Lifepoint Rehabilitation will operate the hospital through a joint venture partnership with Ascension Saint Thomas.

The two-story, approximately 62,700-square-foot hospital sits on a four-acre site less than 600 yards from Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford hospital. The initial 40-bed facility will feature all private patient rooms, with an architectural layout designed to accommodate a future expansion of 10 additional beds.

The hospital will provide intensive inpatient rehabilitation for patients recovering from strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic conditions, amputations, and trauma. Plans feature a dedicated 12-bed acquired brain injury unit with specialized amenities, a physical therapy gym, a covered outdoor therapy courtyard, a pharmacy, dining spaces, and dedicated therapy work rooms.

The close proximity to Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford hospital allows the two facilities to use integrated medical records and share care collaboration. Daphne David, president and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, noted that after caring for local families for 100 years, this partnership extends recovery services directly within the community so patients can stay near their primary support systems. Russ Bailey, president of Lifepoint Rehabilitation, stated that pairing clinical operations with Ascension Saint Thomas helps patients rebuild essential life skills and return home more quickly.

The development will also bring a local employment boost, with plans to create approximately 85.7 full-time equivalent positions during the facility's first year of operation. Those numbers include an estimated 43.9 clinical roles and 41.8 nonclinical roles.

Construction on the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Rehabilitation Hospital is expected to finish in late 2027. Residents can find more operational background by visiting ascension.org.