West Virginia health system adds 5 Pennsylvania hospitals

The West Virginia University Health System has completed a deal across state lines to acquire five hospitals in neighboring Pennsylvania.

The WVU Health System, also known as WVU Medicine, has officially added the Independence Health System, based in western Pennsylvania. The former Independence hospitals joined the system on Oct. 1 and now carry the WVU Health System branding.

With the acquisition, the WVU Health System has pledged to invest $800 million in the five hospitals over the next five years to improve their facilities and provide additional services. The systems first disclosed plans for the acquisition last November.

Albert L. Wright, Jr., president and CEO of the WVU Health System, pledged to expand access to care.

“This marks an exciting and important moment for these hospitals and the communities they serve as they join our network of care across the region,” Wright said in a statement. “We are grateful to the board members and leaders of these hospitals for placing their trust in us to build upon their success and create new opportunities for growth. We take that responsibility seriously.”

The WVU Health System’s growing portfolio continues to expand beyond West Virginia. Based in Morgantown, West Virginia, WVU Medicine now operates 30 hospitals and scores of other care locations in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland.

Independence’s five hospitals served more than 750,000 residents across 10 counties in western Pennsylvania, just outside the city of Pittsburgh. Their service area is close to the West Virginia-Pennsylvania border.

WVU Health System now operates these five former Independence hospitals: Butler Memorial Hospital, Clarion Hospital, Frick Hospital, Latrobe Hospital, and Westmoreland Hospital. The five hospitals have a combined total of 925 beds. They also have nearly 7,000 employees, including more than 1,000 doctors and advanced practice partners.

As part of its investments, WVU Medicine says the system will be looking to modernize Butler Memorial Hospital’s emergency room and the Westmoreland Hospital campus.

“We will invest in their people, programs, and physical infrastructure to ensure the hospitals remain strong for generations to come,” Wright said in a statement. “We’re here for the long term, and together, we’re going to do great things.”

The five hospitals are already displaying WVU Medicine signs, and the system says the brand will be visible at other former Independence clinics and facilities in the near future. WVU Medicine says patients will be able to continue to see their same providers.

Not too far away, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has completed the acquisition of Trinity Health System, based in Steubenville, Ohio. UPMC has added Trinity’s four hospitals and associated clinics after finalizing a deal with CommonSpirit Health.

In July, the Allegheny Health Network completed its acquisition of the Heritage Valley Health System in western Pennsylvania. With the deal, Allegheny added Heritage Valley’s two hospitals and dozens of clinics and outpatient facilities. Allegheny is part of Highmark Health.

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