West Virginia Gov. Justice looking at options to help closing hospital

CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice says his administration is looking into the state’s options regarding a hospital that recently announced plans to close.

Justice’s statement Thursday night came the same day a press release announced the start of the closure process for Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling.

Also closing is a second hospital operated by the same owners, East Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry, Ohio.

In his statement Justice said he had directed members of his administration “to dig deep to see what kind of help the State can offer” in the effort to keep Ohio Valley Medical Center open.

Read more: https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/wv-gov-justice-looking-at-options-to-help-closing-hospital/article_7371c2cc-1439-5416-9d5c-f385349a1e7d.html

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City Considering Options After OVMC Closure Announced

WHEELING — City officials are considering how to preserve Ohio Valley Medical Center’s services and facilities after it was announced Wednesday that the hospital will close in two to three months.

Wheeling officials have been in talks in recent months with officials at the hospital and Alecto Healthcare Services, its California-based parent company, about strategies to save “some or all” of the hospital’s services in the future, Mayor Glenn Elliott said.

“Having been in regular contact with officials at Alecto and OVMC over the past few months, (Wednesday’s) announcement does not come as a surprise, but it does cause us great concern,” he said Thursday.

Elliott said OVMC has been an important component of Wheeling both in terms of healthcare and employment, citing the roughly 900 employees currently working at the hospital in Wheeling.

Read more: http://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2019/08/city-considering-options-after-ovmc-closure-announced/