Providence St. Elias earns international recognition for excellence in stroke and brain injury rehabilitation

Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities also awards hospital with a three-year reaccreditation for its first-in-Alaska inpatient rehabilitation facility

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) International has awarded Providence St. Elias Specialty Hospital CARF Stroke Specialty Program and CARF Brain Injury Specialty Program accreditation, recognizing the hospital's excellence in specialized rehabilitation services. 

Alaska has one of the highest rates of trauma and brain injury in the United States, and the highest rate of traumatic spinal cord injury in North America.

“Alaskans need — and deserve — access to high-quality rehabilitation care,” said Valerie Brooke, M.D., medical director for inpatient rehabilitation at Providence St. Elias Specialty Hospital. “Providence’s investment in this care, combined with the passion and dedication of our clinical teams, has made it possible to build programs that meet these critical needs for our communities.” 

Providence St. Elias remains the only CARF-accredited medical inpatient rehabilitation program in Alaska and serves more than 1,000 patients each year. In addition to the stroke and brain injury accreditation, the hospital earned its second three-year reaccreditation for its 46-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility.  

“CARF reaccreditation reflects our continued commitment to providing care for Alaskans recovering from a wide range of complex conditions,” said Jessica Oswald, chief administrative officer of Providence St. Elias Specialty Hospital. “Our team is dedicated to quality and safety, continuously advancing our services to align with national and international standards.”

Providence St. Elias Specialty Hospital treats patients with trauma, stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, cardiac conditions and other neurologic illnesses. Patients receive specialized care that supports meaningful recovery and helps them return to their lives and communities. The hospital recently marked 20 years of providing care to Alaskans. 

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote quality, value and optimal outcomes through a consultative accreditation process and continuous improvement services that enhance the lives of the people served. Accreditation represents the highest level of recognition that can be given to an organization and demonstrates substantial conformance to CARF standards through a rigorous peer-review process. 

Organizations receiving three-year accreditation have demonstrated their commitment to providing programs and services that are measurable, accountable and of the highest quality. For Providence St. Elias, the accreditation reflects years of building a specialized clinical team and preparing to demonstrate compliance with nearly 2,000 accreditation requirements.

For additional information, visit the Providence St. Elias Specialty Hospital website. The hospital also has two video tours available: a hospital overview and introduction to caregivers. 

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