Danielle Yackovich had a simple message for state regulators who will have the final say over the proposed takeover of Independence Health System by West Virginia University Health System.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we talk about an investment of this magnitude, we need to ask the simple question: What will it mean for the people who actually live here?\u201d Yackovich asked during a public hearing Friday. The session was hosted by the Pennsylvania Attorney General\u2019s Office, which will have the final say if the nearly $1 billion asset transfer is to be completed.<\/p>\n
Yackovich of Greensburg was one of more than two dozen speakers who offered input at Swiftee\u2019s Lakeview in Hempfield. State officials convened the session to gather public feedback on the deal, which would transfer Westmoreland County\u2019s three hospitals \u2014 in Greensburg, Latrobe and Mt. Pleasant \u2014 along with hospitals in Butler and Clarion counties to the Morgantown-based medical system.<\/p>\n
WVU Health System operates 25 hospitals, mostly in West Virginia, but also in Ohio and Maryland. In 2020, it took control of what is now WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital in Fayette County.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this acquisition is going to reshape healthcare in Westmoreland County, the people who live here must be able to see and feel the benefit. Success cannot be measured only in dollars invested, buildings renovated and systems expanded. It must be measured in people,\u201d said Yackovich, a breast cancer survivor advocate.<\/p>\n
Officials at both medical systems spoke at length to tout the benefits of the WVU Health System takeover, saying it provides major capital upgrades and enhanced medical services to the Westmoreland, Butler and Clarion county communities.<\/p>\n
The acquisition, announced last year, is reaching its final stages, and a deal between the medical systems was signed in early June. It is in the midst of a 90-day review period before it can become official. Final approval from Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is needed before the transaction is completed.<\/p>\n
The deal calls for WVU Health System to assume control of Independence Health\u2019s medical facilities, its outpatient care system and other assets.<\/p>\n
Terms of the deal, disclosed by Independence Health Chief Executive Officer Ken DeFurio, said WVU Health System committed to spending at least $800 million in upgrades over the next five years, including $310 million earmarked for Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg.<\/p>\n
DeFurio said those upgrades include conversions of hospital rooms to private accommodations for patients, as well as other enhancements and the modernization of facilities on the Greensburg campus.<\/p>\n
The deal also calls for WVU Health System to spend $20 million to upgrade facilities at Latrobe Hospital; $60 million to modernize the emergency room at Butler Memorial Hospital; and $10 million in enhancements at Clarion Hospital. Another $200 million will be allocated to other upgrades throughout the Independence system.<\/p>\n
WVU Health System will also cover Independence Health\u2019s existing debt of about $228 million. The acquired hospitals are expected to retain their current leadership, while staff will remain in place for at least one year.<\/p>\n
DeFurio said Independence officials looked for a potential partner as financial struggles mounted following the covid-19 pandemic. WVU Health System was the perfect fit, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are good people, who are like us,\u201d DeFurio said. \u201cWe are not in a position of desperation, and we don\u2019t have to do this today.\u201d<\/p>\n
WVU Health System President and Chief Executive Officer Albert Wright said hospitals in Greensburg and Butler are expected to be what he called tertiary hubs and extensions of its 900-bed facility in Morgantown.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is to always have as many clinical services in our communities as safely possible,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n
Community leaders praised the proposed deal. There was no opposition voiced Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the standpoint of the business community, we believe this proposed affiliation has the potential to strengthen healthcare access, improve workforce development, recruitment and retention, encourage future investment, enhance competitiveness and contribute to the continued vitality of Westmoreland County and Southwest Pennsylvania,\u201d said Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce President Dan DeBone.<\/p>\n
Westmoreland County Planning Director Jason Rigone said local officials have long highlighted the need for strong medical services as a means to enhance future economic development, reverse an ongoing trend of population loss and care for an aging population.<\/p>\n
Rigone said the county\u2019s comprehensive plan approved in 2019 focused on the community\u2019s medical needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe alliance of Independence Health and WVU Medicine will not only ensure residents have access to high quality care and state-of-the-art facilities, but its capital investment will also serve as a catalyst for downtown revitalization throughout the region,\u201d Rigone said.<\/p>\n
Medical officials and administrators at Uniontown Hospital said WVU Health System\u2019s takeover of that facility reinvigorated medical care in Fayette County.<\/p>\n
Butler County Chamber of Commerce President Jordan Grady called the proposed takeover of Independence Health a \u201cgenerational opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Danielle Yackovich had a simple message for state regulators who will have the final say over the proposed…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":782985,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[97,252,253],"class_list":["post-782984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health-care","tag-health","tag-health-care","tag-healthcare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/782984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=782984"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/782984\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/782985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=782984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=782984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=782984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}