Select Specialty Hospital - Springfield

Born and raised in New York, Stuart Jacobs spent a lifetime proving that polio wouldn't define him. A Paralympic table tennis champion and fiercely independent retiree, Stuart's life changed when the flu and double pneumonia left him dependent on a ventilator and unable to speak, eat or move independently. At Select Specialty Hospital - Palm Beach, he worked to rebuild his strength one milestone at a time.

Today, he's back home, driving again, enjoying his favorite foods and living life on his own terms.

Read Stuart's story: https://bit.ly/3Wp8WVr

Breathe in. Breathe out.

The first independent breath for our ventilator-dependent patients marks a key step in their recovery. After assessing critically ill patients, our respiratory therapists (RTs) create a plan to free them from ventilators while treating and supporting their respiratory needs, managing their airways and educating both the patient and family on every step of the process.

This Respiratory Care Week, we recognize our more than 2,000 RTs who care for our patients’ needs year-round and for those patients and families who put their trust in us.

When fourth-generation Wisconsin farmer Mark Gilbertson left for work on a foggy winter morning, he had no way of knowing his life was about to change. After a devastating crash left him fighting for his life, Mark spent months relearning the basics: breathing on his own, speaking, eating, standing and walking. While he focused on recovery at Select Specialty Hospital - Madison and Select Medical Rehabilitation - Madison, nearly four hours from home, his wife, children and community pulled together to keep the farm running.

Today, Mark is back where he wants to be: working the farm, spending time with family and grateful for everyone who helped him along the way.

Read Mark's story: https://bit.ly/4yVsoqJ

A severe heel infection left Linda Wright facing a long recovery and uncertain future. After stabilizing and transferring to Select Medical’s continuum of post-acute care in Southern Florida, she began to rebuild her strength, confidence and mobility, eventually returning home.

Read Linda's story: https://bit.ly/4eDwpsb

For patients recovering in our specialty hospitals, the pharmacy team plays an intrinsic role in their care to administer and manage medication needs.

Our pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work side-by-side with the hospital care teams to review medications, manage side effects and interactions, provide clinical guidance and educate patients and families as they prepare for discharge.

Healthcare quality encompasses a wide array of facets, including patient safety, the delivery of evidence-based care, patient-centeredness and positive clinical outcomes.

In observance of National Healthcare Quality Week, we recognize the dedication of our hospital teams nationwide as they strive to both meet and exceed quality standards for the patients, families and communities we serve.

Just weeks after welcoming her second daughter, physical therapist Mora Pluchino had a stroke that led to respiratory failure and left her on a ventilator. Her recovery began at Select Specialty Hospital - Atlantic City, where she regained the ability to breathe and speak, before continuing intensive rehabilitation at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation - West Orange. Step by step, Mora progressed from complete dependence to being prepared to care for her newborn and reunite with her teenager.

Read how Mora worked her way back home to her family: https://bit.ly/4zrbrVo

At 76, Lucy Scarabaggio wasn't slowing down. The New Jersey grandmother spent her days cooking, sewing, attending Mass, meeting friends and caring for her home. Then a stroke, seizures and cardiac arrest turned Lucy’s world upside down. Her recovery was marked by milestones many people take for granted: speaking her first words again, eating her first meal, regaining the strength to walk and to be able to care for herself.

Through the support of her family, her own determination and the expert care at Select Specialty Hospital - Northeast NJ and Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation - West Orange, Lucy overcame each challenge and made it back home.

Read Lucy's story: https://bit.ly/3TrpivV

Behind every successful transition is someone helping to make it possible.

Case managers play a critical role in bridging care across hospital to home settings by working with patients and their families to understand goals, address concerns and identify support they may need to move forward with confidence. They provide clarity about the levels of care and review what to expect.

Through every step of healing, case managers help to ensure no one has to navigate the journey alone.

Nearly three weeks after a catastrophic crash left Steven James with a traumatic brain injury, he arrived at Select Specialty Hospital - Springfield unconscious and on a ventilator. His mother, Misty, believed she was preparing to care for a son who would never wake up. Instead, the hospital’s care team offered something no one else had: hope. What followed was a remarkable recovery. Today, Steven is home - walking, jesting with his family, playing with his toddler son and returning to the life he loves.

Read Steven's story: https://bit.ly/4tWep1B

We’re pleased to announce the DAISY regional award winners for our critical illness recovery hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation hospitals. Recognized by patients, colleagues and families for the extraordinary care they provide, these nurses are fully invested in their patients’ recoveries: https://bit.ly/3KiGxKG

Critical Illness Recovery Hospitals DAISY Winners
Select Specialty Hospital – Camp Hill: Bhawana Baskota
Select Specialty Hospital – Columbus: Caroline Weber
Select Specialty Hospital – Ann Arbor: Cheryl Moran
Regency Hospital – Cleveland West: Ivana Gacic
Select Specialty Hospital – Wheeling: Jill Blake
Select Specialty Hospital – Belhaven: Kallie Law
Select Specialty Hospital – Fort Myers: Marsha Reid
Select Specialty Hospital – Grosse Pointe: Nicole Riley
Select Specialty Hospital – Downriver: Sanar Hermiz
Select Specialty Hospital – Springfield: Thomas Klouse

Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals DAISY Winners
Banner Rehabilitation Hospital West: Cecille “Joy” Alima
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation - Chester: Divina Macagba
California Rehabilitation Institute: Fely Ann Vilk
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation - West Orange: Izabela Skorupski
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation - West Orange: Peyton Taylor

Learn more about exciting employment opportunities with Select Medical by viewing our openings here
https://bit.ly/4nLKxBX

DAISY Foundation

Daisy Award 2025 Q2 Winners We’re pleased to announce the DAISY regional award winners for the second quarter of 2025. These nurses have earned praise for their extraordinary care from patients, families and colleagues. Here’s what makes them special:

Laura Griggs has always been driven to work hard, whether it was at her accounting job or caring for her ailing mother. When the Missouri woman was diagnosed with critical illness myopathy that left her with severe muscle weakness, Laura turned to Select Specialty Hospital – Springfield for specialized care to get back on her feet, back home and back to her life.

Read Laura's story here: https://bit.ly/41IXDrn

Select Medical is excited to announce that Select Specialty Hospital – Springfield has been named Clinical Site of the Year by Southwest Baptist University.

The hospital and its staff were honored for the quality of their clinical instruction during an awards ceremony on May 3.

Congratulations Select Specialty Hospital – Springfield and thank you for your dedication to providing quality, hands-on experience for the next generation of health care providers.

From the devastating diagnosis of Stage IV lung/pancreatic cancer to a triumphant return to independence, 69-year-old Starla Neher's journey at Select Medical Rehabilitation – Springfield is a testament to her strength, family and her specialty care team.

Read her full story here: https://www.selectspecialtyhospitals.com/locations-and-tours/mo/springfield/springfield-smr/page-data/location-detail-tabs/success-stories/starla-neher/

If you or a loved one experienced a brain injury, intense therapy can play a vital role in recovery and help get you back to an independent lifestyle.

Meet some of our brain injury patients who not only survived, but thrived.

To learn more about Select Medical’s network of hospitals, visit: https://www.selectmedical.com/about-us/

Select Specialty Hospital - Springfield

March is Brain Injury Awareness month. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, someone in the United States sustains a brain injury every nine seconds. A brain injury can affect how a person thinks, acts and feels.

Brain injuries can result from an outside force to the head, known as a traumatic brain injury (TBI), or an internal cause – known as a non-traumatic brain injury (NTBI).

Learn more about the difference between a TBI and NTBI below, and check back throughout the month as we spotlight brain injury and how we help people recover.