AbilityLab Blog
See the latest news, updates and patient stories from Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
Ranked No. 1 by U.S. News & World Report for 35th Consecutive Year
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab again has been recognized as the national leader in rehabilitation, topping the U.S. News & World Report list for the 35th consecutive year. It remains the only hospital of any kind to hold this distinction, and has been ranked the No. 1 rehabilitation hospital every year since 1991.
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Earns Prestigious Certification from The Joint Commission for Excellence in Sustainability Programs
The Joint Commission (TJC) recently announced that Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is one of the newest recipients of its sustainable healthcare certification.
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Appoints Cheri Blauwet, MD, as Senior Vice President, Chief Clinical Officer
Today, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab announced the appointment of a key leader: Cheri Blauwet, MD, as senior vice president and chief clinical officer. She will begin in September and will report to Pablo Celnik, MD, CEO.
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Celebrating 17 Years of Collaboration with Willis Tower
At Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Keystone Board meeting on Thursday, May 8, 2025, the hospital celebrated 17 years of the annual stair-climbing event, SkyRise Chicago. Attendees honored Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s longtime relationship with the Willis Tower and Skydeck Chicago, which is located on the skyscraper’s 103rd floor.
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Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility vs. Skilled Nursing Facility: Choosing the Level of Care That’s Right for You
Patients and families have an important choice to make when deciding where to receive rehabilitation care. Two common options include inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), like Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The differences between them are significant — and can affect the extent and speed of recovery.
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Speech-Language Pathologist, Patient Featured in WBEZ Chicago Story about Long COVID
A recent story on WBEZ-FM, Chicago’s NPR affiliate, highlighted Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s outpatient COVID Rehabilitation Unit, which opened in 2021 to provide care for patients experiencing long COVID symptoms.
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Physician Shares Pelvic Health Insights in Woman’s World
As a physiatrist and director of women’s health rehabilitation at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Sarah Hwang, MD, is an expert in the health of the pelvic floor — an important group of muscles responsible for stabilizing the pelvis and lower back; supporting internal pelvic organs; maintaining bowel and bladder continence; aiding in circulation between the legs and the heart; and facilitating sexual function.
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Physical Therapist Shares Insights in The New York Times about Pain & Exercise
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Conor O’Donovan, DPT — a physical therapist in the rehabilitation hospital’s Pain Management Center — shared his expertise about pain and exercise in a recent article by The New York Times, Your Workout Should Hurt. But When is Pain a Red Flag?
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National Women’s History Museum to Honor Shirley Ryan
Shirley Welsh Ryan — Shirley Ryan AbilityLab champion, benefactor and board member — will be honored at the National Women’s History Museum’s Women Making History Awards Gala on March 20 in Washington, D.C.
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Earns 5th Straight Magnet Recognition for Nursing Excellence
For the fifth consecutive time, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab earned the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) prestigious Magnet designation — the highest national recognition given for nursing excellence.
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Physical Therapist Featured in News Segment about Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Men
Research suggests that one in 12 men are affected by pelvic floor dysfunction. To learn more about its real-life impact on men, FOX 32 Chicago turned to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Ariana Alexander, DPT, a board-certified specialist in pelvic floor physical therapy.
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Promotes Dan O’Mahoney to Serve as Chief Information Officer
Today, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab announced the promotion of Dan O’Mahoney to chief information officer and senior vice president. In this role, he will serve on the organization’s executive leadership team and report to its CEO, Pablo Celnik, MD.
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Team Member Receives National Compassionate Caregiver of the Year Award
Long-time Shirley Ryan AbilityLab team member Dinh To recently received The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare’s National Compassionate Caregivers of the Year (NCCY) Award — an award celebrating caregivers who display extraordinary devotion and compassion in caring for patients and families.
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