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Welcome to Encompass Health East Valley

We know that choosing where to receive care after a life-changing illness or injury is an important decision for you and your loved ones. At Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley, we are committed to helping you get back to what matters most. Located in Mesa, we are a leading provider of inpatient rehabilitation for stroke, brain injury, hip fracture and other complex neurological and orthopedic conditions.

When you choose Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley for your rehabilitation, you receive compassionate care from an expert team of physical, occupational and speech therapists; physicians; nurses; dietitians; pharmacists; and case managers who work together to create a plan to help you meet your unique goals.

At our hospital you will receive:

  • Three hours of therapy, five days per week
  • 24/7 nursing care, including nurses who specialize in rehabilitation
  • Frequent visits from a physician*

*We provide access to independent physicians.

Learn what to expect during inpatient rehabilitation

Better Rehabilitation Starts Here

Each patient’s recovery is different. At Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley, our expert clinicians combine the latest technologies, real-world simulations and advanced therapies into a treatment plan that helps you achieve what’s important to you. Our specialties include but are not limited to:

 

 

Superior Amenities at Our Hospitals

70 Beds

Televisions

Telephones

Cafeteria

Free WiFi

Parking

Nonsmoking

Courtyard

Pet Friendly

Service Animals Allowed

Interpreter Services

Spanish Translators Available

Support Groups

Volunteers

Student Observation Hours

Onsite Dialysis

Bariatric Rooms

Family Lounge

Day Room

Tours Available

Transportation Services

Private Rooms

Therapy Animals

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What to Expect

Take a look at what happens during a stay at our hospital

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Get in Touch With Us

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Join Our Team

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Careers

Our Hospital's Accredited Programs Ensuring High-Quality Patient Care

Stroke Rehabilitation

Our stroke rehabilitation program has earned Disease-Specific Care Certification from The Joint Commission.

Amputee Rehabilitation

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in amputee rehabilitation.

Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in brain injury rehabilitation.

Parkinson's Disease Rehabilitation

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in Parkinson's disease.

Leadership and Staff

Tim Meerholz
TIM MEERHOLZ

Chief Executive Officer

Tim joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley as the CEO in April 2024.

Tim joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley as the CEO in April 2024. He began his career with Encompass Health as the quality and risk management director of Yuma Rehabilitation Hospital in Yuma, Arizona. Tim participated in the developing future CEO program at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Institute of Tucson. He is a graduate of Seton Hall University with a master’s degree in healthcare administration. Prior to his career in healthcare, Tim had the honor of serving in the United States Marine Corps.

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John Lopez
JOHN LOPEZ DO

Medical Director

Dr. John Lopez serves as the medical director at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley.

Dr. John Lopez serves as the medical director at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley. He is board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with a subspecialty certification in spinal cord injury medicine. A graduate of Louisiana State University, he completed his medical studies at Midwestern University Arizona College of Medicine. He completed his Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation training at the University of Kentucky where he served as chief resident. He concluded his medical training with a Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School/Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.

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Deborah Bickford
DEBORAH BICKFORD

Director of Case Management

Debi joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley as the director of case management in 2024.

Debi joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley as the director of case management in 2024. She grew up in Dallas and graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree, later earning a bachelor's degree in nursing from Grand Canyon State University, A.T. Still University Campus. Prior to Encompass Health, Debi had several clinical roles, which led to case management in home health care, insurance health management and acute rehabilitation. As a board-certified nurse, she is passionate about ensuring quality patient care.

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Kerry Bollman
KERRY BOLLMAN

Human Resources Director

Kerry joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation of East Valley in 2023 as the human resources director.

Kerry joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation of East Valley in 2023 as the human resources director. Kerry has more than 20 years of professional human resource management experience. She is originally from Pennsylvania but has spent the last 10 years in Arizona and Washington State. Prior to joining Encompass Health, Kerry was the human resources manager at Arizona General Hospital and a senior employee and labor relations consultant at Kaiser Permanente. She is a graduate of Penn State University with a bachelor's degree in labor and industrial relations.

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Samuel Cuadras
SAMUEL CUADRAS JR.

Facilities Management Director

Samuel joined Encompass Health at East Valley as facilities management director in 2017.

Samuel joined Encompass Health at East Valley as facilities management director in 2017. He has more than 18 years of experience managing retail facilities and over nine years of experience in managing healthcare facilities with focus on strategic planning and emergency management systems. He is originally from San Diego and earned his degree from Kearny Mesa college. He supervises the operations at the East Valley location including all buildings sections and grounds, utilities, energy management systems and safety/security systems in order to provide a safe, healthy and comfortable environment for the patients and staff.

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Ashlee Frye
ASHLEE FRYE

Business Development Director

Ashlee joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation of East Valley in February 2022.

Ashlee joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation of East Valley in February 2022. She began her career as a liaison and transitioned into the role of business development director in September 2024. She is a native of Arizona and has a bachelor's degree in nursing. She has worked in business development for over 13 years and has a genuine desire to make a difference in healthcare and provide quality of care to all patients.

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Samantha Jimenez
SAMANTHA JIMENEZ, MSN, RN, CRRN

Chief Nursing Officer

Samantha earned her master’s degree in nursing and executive leadership at Saint Xavier University.

Samantha began her career at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley in 2010 and quickly found her passion for rehabilitation nursing. She has worked in a variety of clinical roles prior to becoming chief nursing officer of Encompass Health East Valley in 2013. Samantha earned her master’s degree in nursing and executive leadership at Saint Xavier University.

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Wendy Larson
WENDY LARSON

Director of Quality & Risk

Wendy brings more than 35 years of nursing experience with her, much of that time has been spent in leadership.

Wendy brings more than 35 years of nursing experience, with much of that time spent in leadership. After earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing she later obtained her master’s degree in healthcare administration. She’s a certified professional in quality and patient safety (CPQPS) and legal nurse consultant (LNC). She had wonderful opportunities throughout her career in acute care, long-term acute care, correctional healthcare, clinical consulting and medical malpractice. Originally from New York, she relocated to Arizona 27 years ago. When she’s not working, she enjoys riding and showing her horses and making jewelry.

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Kathy Lovato
KATHY LOVATO, PT, DPT

Director of Therapy Operations

Kathy has been practicing in the field of physical therapy for 18 years.

Kathy has been practicing in the field of physical therapy for 18 years. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education with an interest in sports medicine, she elected to follow a career in physical therapy. She began her career as a physical therapist assistant and certified athletic trainer in 1994, and completed a master’s degree in physical therapy from Loma Linda University, Southern California in 2000. Kathy’s passion to help others culminated in receiving her doctorate of physical therapy degree from A.T. Still University in 2008. Kathy’s entire career has been in the adult inpatient and rehabilitation setting. She is a member of the Phoenix Physical Therapy Directors group and the American Physical Therapy Association.

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Daniel Manwill
DANIEL MANWILL

Director of Pharmacy

Daniel joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation of East Valley in 2023.

Daniel joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation of East Valley in 2023. He began his career with Encompass Health as a floating pharmacist at the Scottsdale and East Valley locations in 2018. He later joined the Arizona remote pharmacy team servicing five Encompass Health locations throughout Arizona. Later he accepted the full-time staff pharmacist at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Scottsdale before transitioning into the pharmacy supervisor role, then the pharmacy director position at East Valley. He is a graduate of the University of Utah College of Pharmacy.

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David Pickles
DAVID PICKLES

Area Chief Financial Officer

David began his career with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley in June 2017.

David began his career with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of East Valley in June 2017. As a native, born and raised in Mesa, he graduated from Arizona State University with bachelor's degrees in both finance and Japanese. His finance career began in 2003. Since then, he has influenced financial outcomes for various sectors including defense and commercial airlines ultimately finding his passion in the healthcare industry in 2009.

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