Good Shepard Penn Partners, Philadelphia

Penn Medicine’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) program has been in existence for more than 100 years. In 2004, the PM&R department embarked on a strategy to improve and expand its clinical, education and research programs, while strengthening relationships with Penn Medicine’s clinical departments and outside organizations.

One of the department’s main objectives was to coordinate post-acute care throughout the Penn Medicine System. As post-acute care existed at Penn Medicine earlier this century, each of the system’s acute-care hospitals offered independent rehabilitation services. The need for a consistent clinical approach to rehabilitation care throughout the Penn Medicine System was a main impetus for the formation of Good Shepherd Penn Partners.

Penn Medicine’s PM&R department sought outside expertise — a partner with post-acute care management expertise and outstanding patient outcomes. Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network (GSRN), based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was selected over several organizations because of its expertise in long-term acute care and rehabilitation and for its successful experience with health-care partnerships.

What began as a conversation between Richard Salcido, M.D., Chair of the Department of PM&R and Program Director of the PM&R Residency Program at Penn Medicine, and Sally Gammon, President and CEO of GSRN, turned into a dynamic joint venture that was named Good Shepherd Penn Partners to signify the synergy between the two organizations.

Combining the respected research and clinical expertise of Penn Medicine with GSRN’s more than 100-year tradition of evidence-based rehabilitation care resulted in the optimization of post-acute care for patients in the Philadelphia region. With similar core values, the two organizations were able to come together to work through a complex start-up at Penn Medicine at Rittenhouse and to break down the silos and align post-acute care throughout the Penn Medicine system.

Mission Statement

We create world-class, patient-centered rehabilitation and post-acute care services by defining evidence-based practice and fully integrating care throughout the continuum.

Vision Statement

Partnering to realize life’s potential.

Our Philosophy

Function and independence.