MORGANTOWN – Attorney General Patrick Morrisey made a gubernatorial campaign swing through Morgantown on Thursday and came to Mon Health Medical Center for a tour.
Mon Health System president and CEO David Goldberg led the tour. They stopped at the women’s health office where mammograms are performed, radiology and cardiac imaging, and the cancer center and infusion center.
Along the way, Morrisey asked some questions about issues and challenges, such as doctor and nurse staffing.
Goldberg said there is a national shortage in certain medical specialties, such as neurology, gastroenterology and endocrinology. “They’re not graduating enough out of the medical schools.”
On the positive side, he said, recruiting for Mon Health has been successful and they’ve hired 16 new doctors in the first five months of the year. “I’m recruiting like crazy.”
Nurse staffing is an especial challenge in rural areas, he told Morrisey.
Morrisey also asked about Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, also a national challenge, and Goldberg described the difficulties of dealing with Medicare Advantage coverage denials.
After the visit, Morrisey told The Dominion Post, “There are a lot of really positive things going.” He had been to Mon Health previously, just over six years ago. “It’s nice to continually get back to listen, to learn. We know there are a lot of healthcare challenges in the state of West Virginia, and you want to really listen and learn from the people on the front lines.”
Email: dbeard@dominionpost.com
