Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital, at 600 N. Cecil Road in Post Falls, will cease operations as a long-term acute care hospital in October and begin operating as an extension of Rehabilitation Hospital of the Northwest.

Rehabilitation Hospital of the Northwest operates a facility located directly east of the advanced care facility, at 3372 E. Jenalan,

As part of the transition, Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital is recertiying a total of 40 acute care beds to serve as inpatient medical rehabilitation beds, bringing Rehabilitation Hospital of the Northwest’s total inpatient bed count to 70, says Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital CEO Sara Ambrose.

Hospital plans call for Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital and Rehabilitation Hospital of the Northwest to operate under one hospital license, and both buildings will be known as Rehabilitation Hospital of the Northwest, after Oct. 1, Ambrose says.

Recertifying the acute care beds is going to address a rising need for inpatient rehabilitation services in Post Falls and the surrounding areas, says Ambrose. Rehabilitation Hospital of the Northwest provides inpatient rehabilitation services to individuals of all ages recovering from disabilities caused by injuries, illnesses, or chronic medical conditions, Ambrose explains.