Ascension Wisconsin plans to relocate Ascension Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Hospital from the Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee campus to Elmbrook Memorial Hospital in Brookfield, according to a memo sent to employees Tuesday.
The rehabilitation center, which occupies the eighth floor of the CSM Milwaukee hospital, 2301 N. Lake Dr., will move to the Brookfield hospital at 19333 W. North Ave., which was recently re-branded as Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital – Elmbrook Campus, by June 1.
Ascension Sacred Heart offers rehabilitation services for a variety of conditions, including stroke and brain injury, neurological disorders, stroke, burns, and cardiac and vascular complications.
In its place, CSM Milwaukee will develop a new medical/surgical nursing unit in the space currently occupied by Sacred Heart Rehabilitation, Kelly Elkins, president of Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee and Ozaukee, said in the employee memo.
Outpatient rehabilitation services will be available on the CSM Milwaukee and Elmbrook campuses for Sacred Heart Rehabilitation patients, Elkins said.
Recruitment of nursing leadership and staffing for the new medical/surgical unit will begin immediately, Elkins said. It is expected to be operational by July 1.
“These transitions position Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee and Ascension Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Hospital for continued growth and best support our clinically integrated system of care within Ascension Wisconsin,” Elkins said. “As important, they advance our ability to provide high-quality care to the communities we are privileged to serve.”
The announcement of the move follows the health system’s recently announced plans to eliminate surgical and inpatient medical services at the St. Joseph Campus on Milwaukee’s north side. Under the system’s plans, the freed-up space will be leased to community organizations and system partners, which would provide social and community services aimed at preventative care.
The shifting of services comes after 18 months of evaluating how to move to a more clinically integrated system, Bernie Sherry, senior vice president and ministry market executive for Ascension Wisconsin, has said. Ascension Wisconcsin was formed in 2016, born out of the integration of Columbia St. Mary’s, Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare.
