Source: Manufacture & Business Association’s Business Magazine
Feb. 3, 2026 — When patients experience life-altering medical events, the quality of services that follow are critical to a patient's success. The team at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Erie has become the area's most recognized provider of intensive, medically supervised rehabilitation care.
Led by Chief Executive Officer David Markiewicz and comprised of an experienced group of clinical and operational experts, the hospital reflected on its more than 40 years of service with the Manufacture & Business Association's Business Magazine.
“We are focused on being the leader in inpatient rehabilitation for some of the most challenging conditions that patients and their families will go through in their lifetime,” Markiewicz told MBA Business Magazine.
Source: Manufacture & Business Association’s Business Magazine
Today, the hospital remains one of the only dedicated options for inpatient rehabilitation in the region. Whether patients receive a referral directly from a local acute care hospital or arrive unexpectedly following medical complications, the hospital serves the Erie community allowing patients to stay close to home during the most challenging parts of their recovery. Without Encompass Health Erie, patients would otherwise have to travel to Pittsburgh, Cleveland or Buffalo for intensive inpatient rehabilitation.
Director of Therapy Operations Maureen Blackman has been with Encompass Health for more than 16 years and leads an interdisciplinary team at the hospital. The team focuses on providing individualized care to all patients.
“We could have an 18-year-old patient all the way up to a 100-year-old patient, so depending on the person, their family and their caregiver team could look different,” Blackman said.
Recovery does not stop when therapy sessions end. Patients often require close monitoring, medication adjustments or specialized care throughout the day and night. Nurses provide hands-on support while coordinating with other clinical staff to maintain progress and safety.
Chief Nursing Officer Sydney Shorts-Luke oversees Encompass Health Erie's onsite dialysis program. Her team is comprised of rehabilitation nurse technicians, registered nurses, LPNs, infection control and wound care coordinators, managers and supervisors. The interdisciplinary team collaborates daily and continuously develops their staff to ensure the best quality of care for all patients.
“Nursing is here 24-7,” Shorts-Luke said. “We can send staff members to get more education on anything certified, whether it's brain injury, Parkinson's or stroke education, so that definitely sets us apart.”
The hospital also hosts a variety of support groups which provide free programming to the community on topics such as stroke, Parkinson's disease and neurological-related diagnoses.
“Case managers pull families in for education almost right away, so that way they can see not only where this patient started, but also how they're progressing,” said Christine Baird, neuro specialist and stroke program manager. “We help with not only hands-on education, but also obtaining equipment, securing a safe discharge plan, which plays into a lot of the resources that we give to our caregivers.”
Markiewicz said the rehabilitation hospital will continue strengthening ties with local health care providers, universities and expanding educational outreach in the community. The hospital's facilities are also undergoing a refresh, investing in a roof renovation and installing new windows.
“We're present,” Markiewicz said. “We care not only about our patients, but we also care about the staff that are here and our community, and we feel it's important to give back.”