The hospital will be a joint venture between Piedmont and Encompass Health

COLUMBUS, Ga., May 16, 2022 – Kendra Sermarini has been named CEO of the future 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital under construction at 8321 Veterans Parkway in north Columbus. The hospital is expected to begin caring for patients in Summer 2023.

Sermarini, who will assume the position in Spring 2023, will be responsible for overseeing the future hospital’s day-to-day operations as well as patient care and quality. The hospital will provide 24-hour nursing care as well as physical, occupational, and speech therapies to patients recovering from major illnesses and injuries— including stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, and complex orthopedic conditions.

“We thank Kendra for her dedication, hard work, and leadership at Piedmont for more than a decade. We are sad for her to leave our organization but we are also excited to welcome her to the future leadership team at our new joint venture hospital with Encompass Health,” said Piedmont Columbus Regional CEO Scott Hill. “Kendra models the Piedmont promise of making a positive difference in every life we touch, and we know she will continue to elevate the high-quality rehabilitative care to patients in the Columbus community as she takes on her new role.”

“Kendra is a highly-accomplished leader with extensive experience in acute care, rehabilitative care, and hospital-based outpatient departments, and we are honored she has accepted the role as CEO of the future hospital,” said Brad Kennedy, President of Encompass Health’s South Central region. “She has exceled in numerous leadership roles in a rapidly-changing healthcare environment with a focus on patient care and outcomes, and shares Encompass Health’s vision and commitment to exceptional patient care.”

Sermarini brings more than 11 years of clinical and leadership experience to her new role. She currently serves as the Administrator of Rehabilitation Services for Piedmont Columbus Regional. She started her career with Piedmont in 2010 as a Physical Therapist before being promoted in 2013 to manager at Piedmont Columbus Regional Northside. In 2019, she was promoted to Administrator, Rehabilitation Services. A licensed physical therapist, Sermarini obtained a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the University of Georgia and doctorate of physical therapy degree from the Medical College of Georgia.

About Piedmont

Piedmont is empowering Georgians by changing health care. We continue to fuel Georgia’s growth through safe, high-quality care close to home – an integrated health care system that provides a hassle-free, unified experience. Every year, we have over 30 million visits to Piedmont.org, more than 450,000 appointments scheduled online by patients and over 100,000 virtual visits. We are a private, not-for-profit organization that for centuries has lived up to our purpose to make a positive difference in every life we touch in the communities we serve. Today Piedmont has more than 31,000 employees caring for 3.4 million patients across 1,400 locations and serving communities that comprise 80 percent of Georgia’s population. This includes 19 hospitals, 55 Piedmont Urgent Care centers, 25 QuickCare locations, 1,875 Piedmont Clinic physician practices and more than 2,800 Piedmont Clinic members. Piedmont has provided $1.4 billion in uncompensated care and community benefit programming to the communities we serve over the past five years. In 2022, Forbes ranked us No. 166 on its list of the Best Large Employers in the United States. In 2021, the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit that rates hospitals on safety, awarded Piedmont more A grades than any system in Georgia.

For more information, or book your next appointment, visit piedmont.org.

About Encompass Health
As a national leader in integrated healthcare services, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) offers both facility‑based and home‑based patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. With a national footprint that includes 148 hospitals, 252 home health locations, and 99 hospice locations in 42 states and Puerto Rico, the Company provides high‑quality, cost-effective integrated healthcare. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on our newsroom, twitter, and Facebook.