MARTINS FERRY — It appears East Ohio Regional Hospital is another step closer to opening its doors for business.

Spokesman Michael Garrison said Monday staff at the facility recently learned it received final approval from the necessary state and federal agencies to begin seeing patients.

An opening date has not yet been set.

“We were very pleased to hear back from both The Joint Commission and the Ohio Department of Health that we have met the necessary regulatory standards for our reopening,” said Bernie Albertini, chief operating officer of EORH. “This will bring us one very important step closer to opening our doors to the community.”

Albertini gave credit to the hospital employees for their help in getting the regulatory approvals.

“I really have to hand it to our talented and dedicated employees and clinical staff who have worked tirelessly to help us get to this point.

“We all look forward to our reopening announcement and the opportunity to welcome our patients back to EORH,” he said.

Albertini said Monday there are a few things that need to be done before the facility can reopen.

“Our team at EORH has really been working around the clock to put the finishing touches on everything. Given the continuing road work that has closed parts of I-70 and the Fulton Bridge, we anticipate being busy as soon as we open our doors, so we are just in the final stages of making sure everything is ready,” he said.

Personnel in the emergency room also have been working extra hard to get ready for patients.

“We have done a number of practice runs in our ER already in anticipation of being a go-to location for the EMS — particularly given the road closures in the area,” Albertini said.

He noted the hospital still has a few positions available, particularly ER nurses and ultrasound technicians. To apply, visit www.eohospital.com.

EORH was purchased last spring by Dr. John Johnson, a psychiatrist based in the Dayton area, from Alecto Healthcare Services of California.

Alecto shutdown the facility in fall 2019 along with its sister facility Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling. OVMC has since been purchased by the city of Wheeling.

People in the Martins Ferry community and beyond were shocked to learn the hospital was being closed by Alecto. For many months they worked and prayed that someone would be interested in purchasing and reopening the facility as a hospital again.

Johnson, who already was familiar with the region because of his 2012 purchase of the Wheeling-Pitt building in Wheeling, decided to take on the challenge of reopening EORH. He has had success in turning around a psychiatric hospital in Dayton, and also owns and operates several clinics in Central Ohio.

Johnson also plans to renovate the former Wheeling-Pitt structure into an 110-unit apartment building.