Transcript Staff

Norman Specialty Hospital, in partnership with Norman Regional Hospital, Milestone Health Care and HCR Manor Care, this week opened a new 50-bed facility.

The Norman Specialty Hospital, at 1210 W. Robinson St., is a full-service Long Term Acute Care Hospital with emphasis on caring for medically complex patients. This will include, but is not limited to, illness and injuries needing general long-term acute care such as, specialized respiratory or ventilator management, wound care, diabetes, rehabilitation services, dialysis, post surgical complications and cardiovascular diseases.

Medical director Dr. Thomas Whalen, CEO Ken Noteboom and physician partners will lead the LTACH Team. Using an interdisciplinary approach in partnership with patients and their families, the treatment team will include physicians, nurses, therapists, pharmacist, dieticians, case management, social workers and others as needed.

MileStone Healthcare is a wholly owned subsidiary of HCR-ManorCare. The Dallas-based company was founded in October 1991 and specializes in the development and management of physical rehabilitation, skilled nursing, geriatric psychiatric units, long term care facilities and therapy services.

Starting with a staff of four and less than $1 million in capital, MileStone has grown to a staff of more than 300 and has been cited by Modern Healthcare as the nation's second-largest contract management company.

MileStone's markets include Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

The Mission of MileStone Healthcare is to assist providers in delivering quality healthcare, while providing creative solutions to the post acute continuum.

Manor Care, Inc., through its operating group HCR Manor Care, employs nearly 60,000, with a goal of providing high-quality care for patients and residents through a network of more than 500 skilled nursing centers, assisted living facilities, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and hospice and home health care offices. Alliances and other ventures supply high-quality pharmaceutical products and management services for professional organizations.

The company operates primarily under the Heartland, ManorCare and Arden Courts names. Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol HCR.

For more information about the services offered or for a tour of the facility, call Noteboom at 321-8824.