Select Specialty Hospital - Augusta

09/10/2026

Just weeks ago, 23-year-old Arilyn sustained serious injuries in a motor vehicle collision. She suffered significant head and facial injuries, required multiple surgeries and needed a ventilator to breathe. When Arilyn arrived at Select Specialty Hospital – Augusta for extended healing, her jaw was wired closed and she received nutrition through a tube.

With support from her physician-led care team, Arilyn progressed to breathing on her own, eating a regular diet and regaining enough strength to walk with a rolling walker.

Today, our caregivers lined the halls to cheer Arilyn as she discharged from our hospital to continue her recovery journey. We are honored to have been part of her care and wish her all the best as she works toward returning to school.

08/31/2026

Jan Hooks was the picture of health.

At 60, she spent her days running a farm, caring for rescue dogs and staying active from sunrise to sunset.
Then she started feeling unusually tired.

Sometimes she pulled over to take short naps before continuing her day. She chalked it up to long hours and hard work.

She was wrong.

The fatigue was a warning sign of a serious heart problem.

What happened next would change her life in an instant.

07/24/2026

When Tom Franks returned to Select Specialty Hospital - San Diego, it wasn't because he needed care.
He came back to say thank you.

Tom spent more than four months in that hospital in 2025, relearning to breathe, eat, walk and talk following a health crisis. He still faced a road to recovery when he discharged. Tom and his wife, Kathy, wanted everyone who had touched their lives during that time to see something they don't often get to see: the outcome.

As Tom says in this video, patients leave, recover and move on with their lives, but care teams rarely get to witness the impact they've made.

07/21/2026

Pastor James Easley was one of five people shot during an attempted carjacking in March. Two of the victims died.

With wounds to his chest, face and arm, James spent two weeks at St. Mary's Medical Center receiving lifesaving treatment before transferring to Select Specialty Hospital - Palm Beach. There, he spent the next month relearning how to breathe, eat, walk and talk, drawing strength from his faith and the support of his family, congregation and care team.

One month later, James walked out of the hospital on his own two feet.

Today, James is doing well. He returned to Select Specialty Hospital to thank the team who helped him get back home.

07/16/2026

Stroke recovery is a journey, not a single moment. Our latest blog explains what stroke rehabilitation involves, who’s on the care team and how our clinical programs help patients regain independence one step at a time.

Read more and learn what to expect on the road to recovery: https://bit.ly/3TFbFbV

07/15/2026

Janell Langle hoped to be home for her anniversary. Instead, still recovering from respiratory failure, she and Johnny celebrated 61 years together, side by side, at Select Specialty Hospital - Omaha.

Lifelong Omahans, Janell and Johnny raised two daughters and now spoil three grandchildren. Janell has made remarkable strides in her recovery but wasn’t yet ready to go home when their anniversary arrived.

So the team at Select Specialty Hospital brought the celebration to them.

07/04/2026

As we recognize our nation’s 250th birthday, we wish you and your family a safe and happy Fourth of July.

06/19/2026

Juneteenth is a celebration of liberation, a reflection of progress and a call to keep building a future rooted in equality.

06/16/2026

“Every interaction shapes the patient experience, making CNAs and patient care techs essential to healing, outcomes and the human connection at the bedside every day.” — Melissa Beers, senior vice president, clinical operations, specialty hospitals.

Our nursing assistants and patient care technicians spend the most time with our patients. They are essential eyes and ears, informing care team colleagues of any subtle changes in a patient’s mood or ability to accomplish a particular activity. This, in turn, helps to support recovery progress and outcomes.

06/11/2026

CNAs are at the heart of patient care and recovery.

Working alongside nursing and therapy teams, nursing assistants and patient care technicians play a vital role in supporting patients throughout their healing and recovery. They take vital signs, respond to call lights, observe and report on changes or progress and assist with patients’ personal care needs.

Above all, they encourage and guide patients with compassion, helping them stay motivated to achieve their recovery goals.

06/10/2026

After being resuscitated from a massive heart attack and spending weeks on a ventilator, Warren Leary III needed to relearn how to breathe, walk, talk and care for himself again. Once out of the ICU, he was in need of a continuum of care to support his recovery.

With his wife and sons by his side, he transferred to Select Specialty Hospital - Willingboro for extended hospital care and to liberate from the ventilator. For the next phase of his recovery, Warren went to Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation - Marlton where a physician-led team of therapists helped him regain strength and skills to get back to enjoying his life.

His immediate goal? To attend his son’s wedding and dance the night away.

Read how Warren regained his independence: https://bit.ly/4ujmFZb

06/04/2026

For six weeks, David Thigpen was without his “shadow,” the partner always by his side. His wife Debbie fell at their home, and what seemed minor was actually a life-threatening traumatic brain injury. David’s quick thinking saved her life. Through the continuum of care at Select Specialty Hospital - Gainesville and UF Health Rehabilitation , Debbie fought her way back, relearning to breathe, eat, talk and walk. Today, the Thigpens are side by side again and back to the life they love.

12/29/2025

Before her illness, Jan Hooks ran a thriving farm – growing vegetables and flowers and caring for rescue dogs. Then, a heart valve surgery led to life-threatening complications. “They said I died four times,” Jan said. When she finally stabilized, Jan transitioned to Select Specialty Hospital – Augusta and began her battle to recover, one breath at a time. Jan reclaimed her voice, her strength and her freedom. Today she’s back at her farm and grateful for every moment.

Read Jan's story: https://bit.ly/49sX0pP

05/06/2025

Elfrad Sanders remembers lighting a cigarette, seeing a spark and then his home – a camper - exploded. With burns over two-thirds of his body, Elfrad spent six weeks in the ICU before transitioning to Select Specialty Hospital - Augusta. There, a physician-led team would help him regain his strength and independence.

Read Elfrad's story: https://bit.ly/3GH4hqc

09/12/2024

We’re pleased to announce the DAISY regional award winners for the second quarter of 2024. These nurses have earned praise for their extraordinary care from patients, families and colleagues: https://bit.ly/3AZ2DNS

Critical Illness Recovery Hospitals DAISY Winners
Select Specialty Hospital - Augusta UH: Mica Hunter
Select Specialty Hospital - Battle Creek: Abigail Bittner
Select Specialty Hospital - Columbus Grant: Jennifer Bass
Select Specialty Hospital - Downriver: Kimberly Antolak
Select Specialty Hospital - Laurel Highlands: Renee Gratter
Select Specialty Hospital - Nashville West: Dream Scott
Select Specialty Hospital - Nashville West: Felicia Fuqua
Select Specialty Hospital - North Knoxville: Barbara Lowe
Select Specialty Hospital - Tri-Cities: Jack Duncan
Select Specialty Hospital - Youngstown: Danielle Wess

Learn more about exciting employment opportunities with Select Medical by viewing our openings here https://bit.ly/3R7ssj6

Our mission is to provide an exceptional patient care experience that promotes healing and recovery in a compassionate environment. This mission is made possible by our employees. Patients, family members, or colleagues can easily commend someone through our recognition programs, which are accessibl...

07/23/2024

Jonathan Pope, 22, noticed he was occasionally short of breath, but it wasn’t until he was struggling for breath that he went to the emergency room. Turns out, his lungs were scarred from breathing chlorine fumes and he now had pneumonia. For seven weeks, he clung to life.

When his condition stabilized, his family turned to Select Specialty Hospital – Augusta for its expertise in pulmonary care. Jonathan arrived unable to breathe, eat, walk or talk on his own.

Guided by a physician-led, interdisciplinary team, Jonathan made remarkable progress.

Read Jonathan's story here: https://bit.ly/4c1R7OE

07/23/2024

College student Jay Capers spent five weeks in the hospital following an accident that left him with a brain injury and facial fractures. Once Jay’s condition stabilized, his family turned to Select Specialty Hospital – Augusta for the next step in his recovery. Upon arrival, Jay faced significant hurdles: after so long in the intensive care unit overcoming such severe injuries, he was weak and could not walk without assistance. He couldn’t talk, eat or open his right eye. The brain injury also impacted Jay’s insight and judgment.

His care team put together a comprehensive plan to address his needs and today, Jay is back home with his family, playing video games and planning his return to college.

Read Jay's story here: https://bit.ly/3SistCg

03/05/2024

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/

03/01/2024

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.

02/05/2024

The determination and hard work exhibited by patients eager to return home after injury or illness is an inspirational experience.
Take it from our colleagues as they explain why working with patients is a privilege.