Exalt Health is a rising leader in post acute rehabilitation services. Their secret to success? A proven playbook for flexible standardization, community partnership, and compassionate care.

Innovative healthcare providers are driving consistent growth in the post-acute market, propelled by the rising demand for services from an aging U.S. population. Yet, succeeding in this competitive space demands more than just strategic acumen. It requires a deep appreciation for community needs, grounded in compassionate care – and no one understands that better than a nurse.

Kimberly Rudowski represents a phenomenal case study in blending clinical expertise with financial discipline. Originally a nurse by training, she’s both the Chief Compliance Officer and a founding Executive Team Member of Exalt Health: a rapidly expanding leader in top-tier rehabilitation services. Kimberly’s unique perspective has helped execute their course, putting them on track to open 15 to 20 inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the next few years. As Kimberly explains, their multi-pronged playbook for success includes: 

• Localizing tested market frameworks.
  Paradoxically, strategic standardization makes personalized rehabilitative journeys a reality. The key is using scalable operational models as a catalyst for meeting community needs without settling into a one-size-fits-all mentality. 

• Prioritizing purpose. 
  Everything from Managed Care contracts to credentialing takes time. However, anchoring each step to a provider’s care delivery mission helps that organization avoid distractions, minimize operational complexity, and grow with intentionality. 
  
  
• Empowering physicians. 
  Exceptional care depends on giving physicians the autonomy and support needed to exercise their clinical judgment. By fostering that environment, providers encourage innovation, personalized care delivery, and more impactful patient interactions. 

• Embracing honest reflection and organizational learning.
  No growth initiative is without its missteps, but those who succeed do so through authentically transparent self-evaluations. Likewise, they fashion each standout result into a template for iterative improvements.

Watch the full interview with Kimberly below:

Kimberly Rudowski

Kimberly Rudowski is a nurse executive with over 30 years of healthcare experience focusing on quality of care, patient experience and compliance. She began her career as a nurses’ aide, and after progressing to Chief Nursing Officer, moved into the corporate environment where she continues  to utilize her nursing and business expertise with a focus on standardization, organizational performance through quality and patient experience.

A progressive, team-focused leader with a proven track record in a variety of healthcare organizations, leading with experience and knowledge of complex healthcare environments that expertly guide clinical and quality departments to best deliver excellence in quality patient care.