Charleston, W.Va.-based Vandalia Health’s Greenbrier Valley Medical Center in Fairlea, W.Va., is inching closer to critical access hospital status, Real WV reported April 7.
“There’s a chance it could all be completed this year,” Jeff Goode, executive vice president of Vandalia Health, told the publication. “We would like to have this completed by the end of 2026.”
Vandalia shared plans to transition GVMC to critical access status in November, a certification process that was expected to take around 12 months. The hospital would become West Virginia’s 22nd CAH if approved.
Critical access hospitals are limited to 25 beds with nine additional observation beds. They offer inpatient services and 24/7 emergency rooms. GVMC saw an average inpatient census of 31 people in January. The hospital will also close its inpatient pediatrics and obstetrics delivery services in April.
“We’re close,” Mr. Goode told the publication. “The length of stay does have the historical OB numbers in them. When you remove the OB numbers, we’re right about that number.”
Mr. Goode also expects advancements in technology such as robotic surgery to drive shorter patient stays. Adam Crawford, DO, chair of emergency medicine for Vandalia, said his team has been preparing for the transition on the emergency side, particularly around obstetric emergency training and establishing transfer agreements with surrounding hospitals.
“There had been a loss of trust in the community,” he told the publication. “If you look at the metrics, we’ve improved. We’ve improved the time it takes to be seen. Most everyone sees a provider quickly. Turnaround times in the lab have improved. The emergency department is the front door to the community.”
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