A state-of-the-art calling system, a spacious gym filled with new rehabilitation equipment, and a dining room decorated in Montesano blue are all features of the brand-new Montesano Health and Rehab Center (MHR).

On Oct. 10, Greater Grays Harbor Inc. held a ribbon cutting as part of MHR’s open house to celebrate its reopening.

“Today I’m so proud to say that we are not just reopening a building, we are opening a new chapter, one that is built on hope and healing and the foundation of serving this community,” said Stacie Leach, MHR’s director of business development. “So today’s ribbon cutting isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It is about new beginnings, renewed purpose, and a bright future ahead.”

Though the facility has the same layout as the previous building that caught fire in September of 2022, the interior lends itself to an improved experience for patients and staff. To the question of the staff’s reaction to the new facility who worked pre-fire, Andrea Moeun, the administrator of MHR, said that they’ve remarked, “It’s so pretty.”

“When we did the upgrade, a lot of thought went into making everything more functional,” Moeun said.

Each patient room, whether it’s a single or double occupancy, has an updated look, and “depending on where we are in the building, every room has a window view,” Moeun said. An example of the functionality is the new call system that allows the patient and staff to talk back and forth, and wipeable walls.

For the sub-acute side, “we’ve made a very home-like environment because we know we’re going to be dealing with a lot of family members,” said Moeun, adding that it’s “also state-of-the-art.”

Moeun’s favorite room in the building is the rehab gym: “We have one of the largest gyms in any of the rehab facilities here,” she said.

During the open house, some equipment was still being assembled but many of the machines were already in place and faced the courtyard so patients could view the green landscape while exercising.

Following the fire, many staff found jobs elsewhere but with MHR now reopened, staff are returning.

“A lot of my department heads came back,” said Moeun, adding that, “now that we’re open, we’ve been reconnecting with the doctors … we’re close to home and a lot of people really do appreciate that.”

MHR is hosting a 2025 Career Day on Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is actively recruiting RNs, LPNs and CNAs.

Now that Montesano Health and Rehab Center is reopened, Andrea Moeun, the administrator of Montesano Health and Rehabilitation, said that they are reconnecting with the doctors to let them know they are accepting patients. (Andrea Watts/The Daily World)