Rarely can an organization say its building is the first. More often than not, new facilities are inspired by what has already been done, not what is unknown. The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is an example of a hospital that redefines the term “innovation” because it was designed to make a transformative difference in the way science and clinical care coexist. It reshapes the future of rehabilitation and transforms the way discoveries are applied to advance human ability.

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) is the number one destination for adults and children with the most severe, complex conditions—from brain and spinal cord injuries to stroke, amputation, and cancer. This facility is the first-ever “translational” research hospital where clinicians, scientists, innovators and technologists work together in shared, flexible spaces, surrounding patients, discovering new approaches and applying (or “translating”) research in real time.

Each of five ability labs—Think + Speak Lab, Legs + Walking Lab, Arms + Hands Lab, Strength + Endurance Lab, and Pediatric Lab—provide for both active and visible "front stage" patient work with clinicians and researchers, as well as private, heads-down "back stage" space for analysis and planning. Although each is uniquely configured for the patient group it serves, there are no boundaries. In these labs, innovation happens by choice instead of chance. The goal: better, faster outcomes for patients.