Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Irmo names first CEO
October 23, 2025
Nicole Woods has been appointed market chief executive officer of Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Irmo. The hospital, under construction at 108 Evergreen Drive in Irmo, South Carolina, is a 49-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital and is expected to open to patients in March 2026. As market CEO, Woods will oversee hospital operations for both Encompass Health Irmo and Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Columbia, where she has served as CEO since 2021.
“It is exciting to expand our services and offer our expert rehabilitative care to the Irmo community,” said Woods. “I believe in the high-quality services we provide, and I know we will make a tremendous impact on the patients we serve.”
Woods brings more than 20 years of progressive experience in hospital management with strengths in achieving operational efficiency, developing service lines and overseeing major construction and expansion projects. As CEO of Encompass Health Columbia – South Carolina’s largest rehabilitation hospital in the state with 96 beds – Woods leads a hospital team of nearly 300 employees. Her achievements include stabilizing the nursing workforce with zero percent turnover in 2024 of first-year registered nurse employees and receiving recertification from The Joint Commission for Stroke, Amputee and Hip Fracture Rehabilitation.
“Nicole is a dynamic health care executive who keeps patients’ experiences and outcomes as her top priorities,” said Ronnie Wagley, president of Encompass Health’s South Atlantic region. “She will have great success building a dedicated and compassionate team in Irmo.”
Woods holds a Master of Health Administration from Saint Louis University and a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and audiology from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in Illinois. She invests in the community by serving as a board member of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and as an active member of the American Heart Association. Woods is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
About Encompass Health
Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) is the largest owner and operator of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals in the United States. With a national footprint that includes 171 hospitals in 39 states and Puerto Rico, the Company provides high-quality, compassionate rehabilitative care for patients recovering from a major injury or illness, using advanced technology and innovative treatments to maximize recovery. Encompass Health is named America’s Most Awarded Leader in Inpatient Rehabilitation by Newsweek and Statista and is ranked among Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies™ and Forbes’ Most Trusted Companies in America. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on our newsroom, X, Instagram and Facebook.
