HealthSouth Corp., the Birmingham, Ala., company that operates more than 1,800 outpatient rehabilitation and surgery centers nationally, will manage the rehabilitation programs at Sinai Hospital and Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center, Sinai and Levindale announced yesterday.

Sinai's president, Neil Meltzer, said the deal was "not an outsourcing, but more of a partnership."

He said managed care insurers like to contract for rehabilitation with large operators such as HealthSouth, so the new arrangement should bring Sinai more patients. HealthSouth runs more than 40 outpatient centers in Maryland.

"Our rehabilitation product line is very strong," added Barbara Epke, a Sinai vice president. "We'd like to work with experts and get new programs out there."

Sinai has 46 inpatient rehabilitation beds, and Levindale, on the same campus, has another 16. Sinai also gets about 25,000 outpatient visits a year, Epke said.

Managers in the program will be HealthSouth employees, although four of the five came from the Sinai program, Meltzer said. Nurses and other staff will continue as Sinai employees.

Sinai also contracted recently with a national operator for services in its emergency department.

Pub Date: 3/27/99