OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital in Kenton, Ohio, is transitioning its fiduciary board of directors to a board of advisors as part of a broader effort to align more closely with Columbus-based OhioHealth’s unified system approach.
Six things to know:
1. The new board will focus on advancing community partnerships, improving patient experience and supporting clinical excellence. Although the governance structure is evolving, the hospital’s day-to-day operations will remain largely unchanged.
2. The advisory board’s responsibilities will include guiding local fundraising and charitable initiatives, maintaining community relations, supporting hospital leadership and making recommendations on capital expenditures.
3. OhioHealth has invested in several facility upgrades in recent years, including new hospital windows and a roof to improve energy efficiency, and updated clinical technology such as CT and portable X-ray machines, telemetry monitors, and lab and surgical equipment.
4. Two major upgrades are underway. An $8.5 million renovation of the hospital’s surgical suite is scheduled to begin in March, with completion expected in early 2027. A new state-of-the-art MRI is also slated to go live by the end of 2025.
5. Outside of the hospital, OhioHealth is also investing in local wellness infrastructure. In April 2024, it acquired the Hardin County YMCA building in Kenton and committed $150,000 annually to its operations — totaling $1.5 million over the next decade.
6. The board of advisors for Hardin Memorial includes: John Schwemer (chair); Judy Hruschka, MD; Alyssa Johnston; Abhishake Kaapuraala, MD; Todd Oates, OD; Beryl Rogers Dudek; Chip Root; Teresa Styer; Jordan Temple; Paige Wallace; and Steve McCullough.
“We believe this change will allow our local healthcare needs to be heard and addressed at the highest level,” Jim Parobek, the hospital’s president, said in an Oct. 22 news release. “I look forward to the investments we will continue to make in our hospital and our community to provide high-level care close to home.”
