Inova to expand post-acute care at Mount Vernon hospital

Inova Health System is adding a Critical Illness Recovery Hospital (CIRH), also known as a long-term acute care facility, at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria.

The service is for patients who require an extended stay with specialized clinical attention and support but no longer need the intensive care provided in an acute care hospital. It will care for patients with complex medical conditions such as heart failure, wound or burn care, severe brain injuries, respiratory therapy or ventilator weaning. The new program will be staffed by a physician-led specialty care team.

“The absence of this type of care in our region has previously required patients to be transferred to facilities in Charlottesville, Richmond, or DC — far away from their families,”  Inova President and CEO Dr. J. Stephen Jones said in a statement. “With the addition of the CIRH at IMVH, all five Inova hospitals will be able to confidently transition patients to an Inova facility closer to home for this expert care.”

The Inova Mount Vernon CIRH is part of Inova’s ongoing efforts to fully build out its health care delivery system and will expand Inova’s system of services in the growing eastern region of Northern Virginia, which includes the city of Alexandria and surrounding communities, including Mount Vernon, Lorton, Franconia and Springfield.

The new hospital will be built within the current footprint of IMVH and is expected to be fully operational in late 2022.