West Virginia University Health System opened Fairmont Medical Center Tuesday morning in what was the former Fairmont Regional Medical Center and hinted it may expand its presence inside the building.
“Today is a big day,” said Albert Wright, president and CEO of WVU Health, at an opening ceremony just outside the hospital. “Emergency services and in-patient beds are now back in Marion County.”
For a while, it looked as if Marion County residents would have to go south to Bridgeport or north to Morgantown to receive medical treatment when the former owners of Fairmont Regional closed the facility because of financial issues.
That changed when Gov. Jim Justice interceded in February. Around two weeks later, both WVU Health and Mon Health announced plans for smaller, standalone hospitals in Fairmont, the state’s seventh-largest city. WVU Health said it was also taking over a portion of Fairmont Regional to operate as a branch of J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, its flagship hospital.
“Fairmont Regional had been struggling for a long time,” Wright said. “It was tragic news when the closing was announced.”
The new health care facility, which officially opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday, saw its first patients an hour later, Wright said. WVU Health officials said 110 people work at Fairmont Medical.
The facility is expected to remain up and running until WVU Health completes its $35.3 million standalone Fairmont Gateway Medical Center next to its Urgent Care Center at the Gateway Connector. The project should take 18 to 24 months to complete.
“We’re still going through the regulatory process,” a WVU Health official said.
Besides the 10 in-patient, acute-care beds — which can be expanded to 35 if necessary and if there is a COVID-19 surge — Fairmont Medical has on-site imaging, including X-ray, ultrasound and CT, and laboratory services. It also has an emergency department, which is especially important considering Fairmont Regional averaged 20,000 emergency room visits a year.
“This is a great place to receive care,” Wright said. “The exact same level of care.”
WVU President Gordon Gee, who is also chair of the WVU Medicine board of directors, said as a university and as a health system, it’s an obligation to serve the entire state.
“WVU Medicine is expanding and helping as many people as possible,” he said.
Fairmont Mayor Brad Merrifield said he took a tour of the new WVU Medicine space, which he described as spic-and-span.
“I want to thank you for stepping in and filling the chair that has been missing from the table,” he said. “You made the right decision.”
Opening ceremonies ended Tuesday when a WVU Medicine banner was raised by two former Fairmont Regional employees who now work at the new facility.
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, released a statement saying Fairmont Medical will fill a much-needed hole in the community.
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