SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A new medical facility in Scottsdale promises to deliver top-of-the-line care for people experiencing mind and body impairments.
It is also highlighting the need for more specialty therapists in the Valley.
“There aren’t that many in-patient rehabilitation facilities in this area, so we are serving a population that is growing,” said Dr. Ronald Quang, the medical director at Exalt Health.
The new two-story, 100,000-square-foot building called One Scottsdale Medical is bringing Texas-based Exalt Health to meet growing needs for physical, occupational and speech therapists.
It is located near Loop 101 and Scottsdale Road, the building will house multiple tenants, surrounded by three area hospitals and in a prime location for residents.
Developer Ryan Companies tells ABC15 that their healthcare development projects have skyrocketed.
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“Oh, we’ve grown pretty quickly. One of our main referral sources right now is Mayo Clinic Hospital,” said Quang.
Heightened demand, however, comes with the challenge of finding, and hiring full-time specialty therapists and nurses.
Sometimes, clinics have to use different agencies to fill in the gaps instead of their own staff, degrading patient care.
“When you throw in somebody they’re not used to here or there, it does disrupt them a little bit and their comfort zone,” said Sue Peck, the chief executive officer at Exalt Health.
“There’s a definite need to get more physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists on board here to treat our patients,” said Quang.
Exalt Health is set to open about 200 new jobs at their 48-bed facility. But the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation estimates Arizona will need to fill more than 130,000 new healthcare jobs over the next 10 years.
“We are reaching out to Pima and some other colleges here for nursing students and also therapies as well, hoping that we can retain some of those as well,” said Peck.
