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WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital notes progress

Clinical affiliation and management agreement between the two organizations has strengthened local health care

BARNESVILLE — The first 90 days of partnership between WVU Medicine and Barnesville Hospital have given the staff on providing better service to the community.

On June 1, hospital leadership agreed to enter into a management agreement and clinical affiliation with WVU Hospitals and the West Virginia University Health System. Under the terms of the agreement, WVU Medicine did not assume ownership of the hospital, and it remains operated under the guidance of the Barnesville Hospital Board of Trustees.

Additionally, David Phillips, CEO, became an employee of WVU Hospitals and will remain as president of Barnesville Hospital.

“WVU Medicine has already begun to help us in areas of physician recruitment, process improvement, and resource utilization,” Phillips said. “With the new clinical affiliation, the Barnesville community continues to see additional access to new health care services, such as orthopaedic surgery with Dr. John Michalski and general surgery coverage through Dr. Matthew Metz. An additional physician, Dr. Frank Schiebel, will be brought on board later this year to offer additional general surgery options.”

Barnesville Hospital offers a variety of inpatient and outpatient services, including cardiopulmonary care and rehabilitation, emergency medicine, general surgery, laboratory, physical and occupational therapy, radiology, sleep medicine, skilled bed services, and speech/language pathology.

“We definitely made the right decision to partner with WVU Medicine,” Phillips said. “If the first 90 days are any indication of future success, which I am sure it will be, WVU Medicine will help position Barnesville to be in the best possible place to serve the community for years to come.”

Although the pace and sophistication of healthcare delivery has changed drastically since the early days of the hospital’s life, Barnesville Hospital’s commitment to the community and the community’s support of the hospital have never wavered.

WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital is a 25-bed, fully accredited critical access hospital, employing approximately 250 people. An integral part of the heritage and history of Barnesville and the broader region, Barnesville Hospital was established in 1941 by a group of dedicated citizens recognizing a dire need. Since then, the hospital and its role as a rural healthcare organization have gone through a multitude of transformations in response to the changing healthcare needs of the community.

For more information about WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital or the services provided, visit www.barnesvillehospital.com.

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