Cobalt Medical Development Rehabilitation Hospital Opens In Mid-City
The New Orleans Business Alliance led efforts to attract Cobalt Medical Development Rehabilitation Hospital to the market, and the successful project shows the city’s growing biomedical cluster. Read on to see what President & CEO Quentin Messer said about the new facility.
Cobalt Medical Development Rehabilitation Hospital Opens In Mid-City
NEW ORLEANS — On Thursday, June 2, 2016, Mayor Mitch Landrieu joined New Orleans City Councilmembers, New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) and executives from Cobalt Medical Development to celebrate the opening of the new 66,000 square-foot Cobalt Medical Development Rehabilitation Hospital at 3701 Bienville St., in Mid-City.
The $24 million project, located on a formerly vacant lot, will offer state-of-the-art technology and equipment to assist in the care of traumatic brain injuries, concussions, strokes, orthopedic injuries, Parkinson’s and other muscular based conditions. The company expects the new hospital to employ approximately 178 people, including physicians, nurses, physical therapists and nursing assistants. The facility is scheduled to begin receiving patients this July.
“The new Cobalt Medical Development Rehabilitation Hospital is proof positive that New Orleans’ economy is expanding and diversifying,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “This state-of-the-art facility will provide world-class healthcare and create over 170 new jobs. Cobalt is the perfect addition to our burgeoning biomedical corridor and this facility’s completion represents another important step forward for our city.”
The Cobalt Medical Development Rehabilitation Hospital features 60 private inpatient suites with hotel-like amenities, as well as both inpatient and outpatient program services. Patient rooms also consist of couches and additional furniture to accommodate family members and those traveling to care for patients. It is conveniently situated for referral to and from other medical facilities, including the University Medical Center-Veterans Administration complex.
Erik de Vries, founder of Cobalt Medical Development, said, “We are excited to soon be providing exceptional quality patient care to New Orleanians. We are transformative rehab, our mission is providing great outcomes, superior service and we are proud to be in this terrific City.”
The rehabilitation center also features a robotic over ground body-weight support system, ZeroG V.2, to assist patients recovering from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, amputations and orthopedic injury. Cobalt Rehabilitation Hospital is one of two hospitals in Louisiana to offer treatment and services associated with ZeroG V.2.
Richard Fiske, CEO of Cobalt Medical Development, said, “Our Goal at Cobalt is to elevate the level of care provided Physical Rehabilitation Patients which includes Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion and Parkinson’s and assist them in regaining control of their own life. We will collaborate with the entire New Orleans Healthcare System in bringing this to fruition by providing this State-of the-Art Facility and our team of highly skilled Healthcare Professionals.”
The New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) led efforts to attract Cobalt to the market by assisting with site selection, facilitating the permit process and supporting on numerous other aspects of the project. NOLABA categorizes the new facility as a perfect example of the impact that the growing biomedical cluster will have on the city’s economy.
Quentin L. Messer, Jr., President and CEO of the New Orleans Business Alliance, said, “Today’s ribbon cutting represents a vote of confidence in the city’s growing Bio innovation cluster and in the Mid-City neighborhood. As New Orleanians, and New Orleans herself, have done so many times, Cobalt is committed to rebuilding lives and rehabilitating dreams. Today marks the start of the next phase in the City’s and NOLABA’s partnership with a new member of our business community.”
District A Councilmember Susan G. Guidry said, “This is an exciting time for biomedical development and innovation in New Orleans. In addition to extended patient care, Cobalt is also bringing jobs and capital to our City. This state of the art healthcare facility represents an investment in the future of New Orleans. We welcome them with opened arms to Mid-City.”
