MORGANTOWN — Forest Weyen, the new executive director of Mon EMS — the result of a merger of services from Mon Health Systems and WVU Medicine — was happy at his old job; but two health systems combining to put the community first caught his interest.
“I think it’s huge that two competing health systems have come together and said this is a community service that is here at the service of the community,” Weyen said. “And I think it is a model that if we do it right, which I plan to do right, but if we do right, can be emulated across the U.S. in different situations.”
As its own entity, Mon EMS is not bound by the procedures or practices of either health system. Weyen said he will be able to implement the best practices from both and do whatever is best for the service’s patients.
“We’re an independent county emergency medical services agency that is supported by both hospitals,” Weyen said.
Adopting the best policies and procedures will be easier without needed the approval of a hospital board that may not understand why medics in the field need button up shirts or pants with scissor holders, Weyen said.
Weyen is overseen by a board of directors that includes Albert Wright, CEO of WVU Health System and WVU Hospitals, and David Goldberg, president and CEO of Mon Health System — both of whom interviewed Weyen.
“I think he’s perfect for the job,” Wright said. “He’s really the perfect fit in terms of expertise and culture. Plus, I think he really bought into what David and I wanted to do, which is build a community service focused on transport and quality EMS care.”
Forest is originally from Greenbrier County and graduated from WVU with a master’s degree in business administration before holding a number of jobs including a hospital administrator fellowship, being a member of Kentucky’s EMS Board and most recently, executive director of Bennington Rescue Squad in Vermont.
“It’s another great story of another proud West Virginian coming home,” Goldberg said.
The biggest challenge facing Mon EMS is figuring things out on the go, Weyen said.
The service has employees from both of its legacies and the best practices from both need to be implemented and everyone needs to get on the same page — but Mon EMS operates 24/7 and can’t shut down, so things can be implemented.
Weyen started Oct. 1 and said he’s spent his first weeks figuring out what the service is doing right and what it can be doing better.
Many procedures and policies are common sense and simply need polish to make sure patient care is as good as it possibly can be, Weyen said.
Weyen said his ultimate vision for the service is that when Mon EMS shows up there is a sense of calm because the patient knows the emergency is over — whatever the situation is, it’s handled.
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