A New Standard in Full-Cycle Neurorehabilitation
The Christi Doerflinger Memorial Hospital will stand alongside Shepherd Center and Craig Hospital as one of the nation’s only independent facilities dedicated predominantly to spine and neurorehabilitation. By uniting acute and post-acute care with advanced surgical capacity, we are building one of the country’s first full-cycle neurorehabilitation hospitals.
Together, these hospitals turn away more than 1,000 patients each year due to limited capacity. Shepherd Center alone reports: “250–300 patients each year we are unable to serve. Despite continuous growth, we regularly run out of capacity and know there are so many more patients we could serve.” Craig Hospital, while not publishing specific turn-away numbers, receives nationwide referrals and consistently operates at or near full capacity.
Patients with spinal cord and neurological injuries often face long waitlists, fragmented care, or are treated in general rehabilitation facilities that lack the expertise and resources for complex neurorehabilitation. While there are thousands of inpatient rehab centers across the U.S., only a select few are dedicated predominantly to spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and advanced neurological care. Today, that list includes only two world-renowned institutions: Shepherd Center in Atlanta and Craig Hospital in Colorado.
The Christi Doerflinger Memorial Hospital will change that landscape. As the third destination hospital of its kind in the nation, and the first to combine both acute and post-acute licensure with on-site surgical capability, we are creating a new standard of full-cycle care in neurorehabilitation.
60 Beds
Advanced medicine united with compassionate rehabilitation.
10-Bed ICU
Five true ICU beds + five flex for ICU or post-op observation.
2 Level 5 ORs
For complex spine, neuro & orthopedic procedures
50 Rehab Beds
Dedicated inpatient rehabilitation for neurological conditions.
35+ Surgeries
Across eight specialties, keeping care in-house.
Driving Labs
Simulation + adaptive range with equipped vehicle to prepare patients for real-world independence.
Whole-Person Model
Family housing, vocational retraining, mentorship & more.
The Need
The evidence shows a critical demand for comprehensive neurorehabilitation services, which we seek to address through our integrated care model.
2 Million+
Americans sustain a TBI each year; 214,000+ TBI-related hospitalizations (2020) and ~69,500 deaths (2021).
5.3 Million+
Americans live with TBI-related disabilities today.
18,000+
New spinal cord injuries occur annually; 302,000+ people in the U.S. live with SCI.
43 years old
Is the average age at injury, with 79% of SCI patients being male.
Our hospital unites advanced therapies, surgical capability, ICU care, and holistic support under one roof — ensuring seamless continuity of care and a path to independence.
Our Services & Programs
At the Christi Doerflinger Memorial Hospital, we provide a full spectrum of services designed to help patients recover, rebuild, and return to independence. Our hospital unites advanced therapies, surgical capability, ICU care, and holistic support under one roof — ensuring seamless continuity of care for individuals with spinal cord, brain, and complex neurological injuries.
Therapy & Rehabilitation Areas
- Parallel bars
- Gait trainers
- Manual Assisted Therapy System (MATS)
- Therapy balls
- Hand bikes
- Resistance equipment
- Robotic gait trainers
- Overhead harness systems
- Balance boards
- Neuroplasticity tools
- Kitchen, laundry, and bathroom units
- Adaptive tools for fine motor training
- Clothing training
- Workplace and leisure adaptations
- Warm-water therapy pools
- Lifts & ramps
- Underwater treadmills
- Resistance jets
- Turf surfaces for adaptive activities
- Basketball hoops
- Wheelchair sports equipment
- Mobility aid recommendations
- Gait training
- Balance training
- Strengthen speech and communication
- Enhance swallowing function
- Boost cognitive abilities
Conditions We Treat
- Patients who use ventilators to breathe
- Dual diagnosis (spinal cord & brain injury)
- Multiple trauma cases
- Disorders of consciousness
- Strokes; non-traumatic injuries, including concussions
- Specialized care for veterans
- Fatigue, spasticity, chronic pain
- Balance and gait impairments
- Bowel & bladder dysfunction
- Sexual, vision, swallowing, speech challenges
- Depression, cognitive issues, emotional health
- Ischemic & hemorrhagic stroke
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Cryptogenic & brain stem stroke
- Ventilator-dependent patients
- Dual diagnosis (SCI & brain injury), multiple trauma
- High-level injuries (C1–C4); complete & incomplete SCI
- Paraplegia & Tetraplegia/Quadriplegia
- Cervical, lumbar, sacral spine
- AIDP – myelin sheath involvement
- AMAN – motor axonal neuropathy
- AMSAN – motor-sensory axonal neuropathy
- Miller–Fisher syndrome (cranial nerves)
- Nociceptive pain
- Neuropathic pain
- Dedicated ICU treatment pod, medical/surgical services
- Extensive rehabilitation equipment & technology
- Arterial, cardiac, respiratory & hemodynamic monitoring
- Skin, bowel & bladder care and training
- Nutritional assessment and management
- Secondary complications prevention
- Dedicated therapy team for transition rehabilitation
- Ventilator-weaning program
Critical & Surgical Care
- Complex spine & neuro surgeries
- Neuromodulation & neuro implants (DBS, SCS, intrathecal pumps, VNS)
- Upper extremity prosthetic-related (TMR, osseointegration, RPNI, tendon transfers)
- Lower extremity prosthetic-related (osseointegration, rotationplasty, tendon transfers)
- Orthopedic trauma & reconstruction (ORIF, limb salvage, external fixation)
- Joint & soft tissue (arthroplasty revisions, tendon lengthening, spasticity releases)
- Flap coverage & wound reconstruction (pressure ulcers, complex wound repair)
- PEG tube, tracheostomy, and minor OR procedures
Full-Cycle Care Under One Roof
From intensive surgery and ICU monitoring to inpatient rehab and lifelong outpatient support, we are building the nation’s first full-cycle hospital for spine and neurorehabilitation — a place where patients and families can find not just care, but hope and possibility.
Mission, Vision & Approach
Modeled after Craig Hospital and Shepherd Center — expanded with acute, surgical, and ICU capabilities.
Mission
Establish one of the nation’s only specialized inpatient hospitals focused predominantly on neurological and spinal trauma — combining acute and post-acute care with advanced surgical capability; deliver evidence-based care, reintegration, and advocacy for patients and families nationwide.
Vision
Transform access to world-class spine and neurological rehabilitation — honoring lives through compassionate, cutting-edge, full-cycle care.
Approach
Patient-centered, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary care that unites advanced rehabilitation with holistic support to empower patients and families.
Commitment
Unite acute, surgical, ICU, and post-acute care under one roof; advocate nationally for equity, access, and long-term outcomes that restore independence and quality of life.
Our Core Values — C.A.R.E.
Explore the Hospital Interior
A Message from Noah Doerflinger
A message from Noah Doerflinger, Bridge of Aspirations Founder and CEO, on the inspiration, vision, values, and full-cycle care model of the Christi Doerflinger Memorial Hospital.
Donor & Naming Rights Opportunities
To inquire about the following donor and naming rights, please contact Noah Doerflinger via email at ceo@bridgeofaspirations.org.
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