Risk and Patient Safety Specialist

Vandalia Health, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation break ground on $50 million hospital in Charleston. October 7, 2026 - 2:50 pm CHARLESTON, W.Va. - CAMC/Vandalia Health is expanding its footprint in the Capital City with a new $50 million rehabilitation hospital. The organization is collaborating with Michigan-based Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation for the project, a partnership launched in January last year. Local leaders joined Vandalia Health and Mary Free Bed officials on Wednesday to officially break ground on the project at the corner of Washington Street and Morris Street in Charleston. The site is located just across the street from the CAMC General Hospital. The 93,000 square foot facility will be dedicated towards providing comprehensive rehabilitation care. CAMC/Vandalia Health General Hospital Chief Administrative Officer Heidi Edwards said while they currently offer such services throughout the Vandalia system, this new facility will meet a growing demand. "You never know when you're going to need inpatient rehab," Edwards said. "It could be a car wreck; it could be many of the different scenarios that happen in life that you don't expect. Our current inpatient rehab has served many patients over the last 40 years. The issue is it only has 25 beds. We have a greater need in this community." Edwards said it's all about centralizing the care. She said this facility will do just that. "To be able to provide both inpatient and outpatient services in one facility and keep our patients here in this community is going to be huge," Edwards said. "With state-of-the-art technology, innovative care, and outstanding clinicians, it's just the right time to do the right thing for our community." Mary Free Bed began in Grand Rapids, Michigan 138 years ago, founded by a group of women. Current Chief Operating Officer Bruce Brasser said the founding women launched a fundraiser calling upon families to donate 10 cents if they had a family member named Mary. From there, those women created a guild that serves as the community representatives for the modern-day Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Brasser expressed optimism for the expansion into the Capital City. 'We are going to be expanding access to rehabilitation care for patients here in Charleston and surrounding communities," Brasser explained. "Mary Free Bed is a rehabilitation hospital only. We're passionate about caring for patients that have these needs, and we are very pleased to be partnering with Vandalia to make that happen." Brasser said he's spent a quarter century working with Mary Free Bed and had a unique first experience with their services. "My background is a nurse, and my first experience with Mary Free Bed and a rehabilitation hospital was as a parent whose child needed care," Brasser said. "25 years ago this week, I joined Mary Free Bed and have been able to see us grow tremendously and serve more patients." Edwards pointed out that sometimes, West Virginians may have to go out of state to receive care. This is a dedicated effort to keep those people in West Virginia with more healthcare offerings. "When you're talking about spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, those types of injuries, and being able to have the comprehensive care, a lot of people, we don't have the level of access that's needed," Edwards said. "So, a lot of people do go out of state for that care. But that's a very a huge stress for families. It's an out-of-pocket expense to stay somewhere. So, being able to be right here at home in the community, with people that they know and people that they trust, that makes a difference." Also at the groundbreaking celebration, two-time stroke survivor Marshall Murray gave a speech. He serves as the director for the local Martin Luther King Jr. Male Chorus. He received care within the CAMC/Vandalia system for his second stroke and said it was a night-and-day difference from the first stroke care. "I've got friendships with a lot of the staff and stuff now that I didn't have with the first one," Murray said. "I couldn't tell you one name of the first one. So, I'm tickled to death. I stop by every now and then to try to see patients and tell them, 'Hey, I was you, and I'm up.' If you do what they tell you, you'll make it." Construction on the facility is set to be complete in 2029.

Brave the Shave celebrates Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, Mary Free Bed. Posted: Aug 27, 2026 / 11:49 AM EDT Updated: Aug 27, 2026 / 11:49 AM EDT GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (ABC 4) - At a recent golf fundraiser near Grand Rapids, local nonprofit Brave the Shave awarded checks to two of their partners for helping provide support for child patients: Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation. Resources that Brave the Shave offers to patients and their families include funding for travel expenses, mortgages, utilities and more. "We help families and pay for things that insurance doesn't," said Pat Schrager, founder of Brave the Shave. Through its partnerships with Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation, Brave the Shave helps take part of the financial burden away from patients and their families. "(Brave the Shave) provides our patients and their families with financial relief during their cancer journey," said Melissa Wittlinger, pediatric cancer and blood disorders coordinator with Corewell Health. To celebrate these partnerships, Brave the Shave awarded $25,000 to Mary Free Bed and $40,000 to Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.

Growing recognition: 12 Mary Free Bed physicians named Top Doctors. August 12, 2026 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., July 7, 2026 - Physicians at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation occupy 12 spots on Grand Rapids Magazine's Top Doctors list, doubling last year's total. This reflects the growing recognition of Mary Free Bed's expertise in rehabilitation care. The annual list highlights physicians across West Michigan who are nominated by their peers for clinical excellence and compassionate care. Mary Free Bed's honorees represent a wide range of specialties in rehabilitation that support patients recovering from injury, illness or complex medical conditions. "We're proud to see our physicians recognized by their peers, because it reflects the way they show up for patients every day," said Emily DeFouw, vice president of Mary Free Bed Medical Group. "This recognition speaks to their expertise, but just as important, their commitment to listening, building trust and helping people move forward with hope and greater independence." The Top Docs list is compiled by Professional Research Services, which surveys physicians throughout Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon and Allegan counties. Participants vote for peers they believe deliver outstanding care across 71 specialties. The final list is reviewed and verified to ensure each physician is in good standing with the state of Michigan. For patients and families across West Michigan, this recognition reinforces access to trusted rehabilitation care close to home. Mary Free Bed physicians work with patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings, guiding them through recovery with personalized treatment plans that support physical, emotional and functional progress. Mary Free Bed physicians named Top Docs. Kelly Armstrong, M.D., specializes in musculoskeletal medicine and interventional spine care, helping patients manage pain and improve mobility through targeted, evidence-based treatments. Benjamin Bruinsma, M.D., Mary Free Bed's chief medical officer, focuses on amputee and stroke rehabilitation. He leads interdisciplinary programs that support patients throughout their lifetime, helping them reach meaningful goals after life-changing conditions. Douglas Henry, M.D., provides pediatric rehabilitation care for children with complex physical and cognitive needs, including cerebral palsy, chronic pain conditions and traumatic injuries. Kyle Josephson, M.D., offers expertise in spine and musculoskeletal conditions, including electrodiagnostic testing and ultrasound-guided procedures to support accurate diagnosis and treatment. Naomi Kaplan, M.B.B.S., specializes in cancer and chronic pain rehabilitation, helping patients navigate symptoms related to treatment as they go about their daily lives. Andrea Kuldanek, M.D., focuses on pediatric rehabilitation, specializing in treating brain injuries and neurological conditions in children. Christopher Morelli, D.O., provides interventional spine care, sports medicine and musculoskeletal treatments, helping patients return to activities safely and confidently. Christopher Rizik, D.O., treats spine and musculoskeletal conditions using a combination of diagnostic tools and targeted therapies to improve function and reduce pain. Bridget Rizik, M.D., specializes in brain injury and stroke rehabilitation, supporting patients through recovery with coordinated inpatient and outpatient care. Yunna Sinskey, M.D., focuses on amputee rehabilitation for both adults and children, helping patients adapt and regain independence after limb loss. Meagan Smith, D.O., leads cancer rehabilitation efforts as director of the Betty Bloomer Ford Cancer Rehabilitation Program, supporting patients through treatment and recovery. Jonathan VandenBerg, D.O., specializes in spinal cord injury care and complex rehabilitation, working with patients to build strength, function and independence. About Mary Free Bed Medical Group Mary Free Bed has more than 300 physicians and advanced practice providers across its system, including two dozen psychologists. Together, they offer comprehensive rehabilitation services for adults and children. Its physicians lead teams of therapists, nurses and specialists who work closely with patients and their support systems to set goals and create a personalized path forward. Whether care begins in the hospital or an outpatient setting, the focus stays the same: restoring hope and freedom through rehabilitation.