WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure & Certification recently surveyed and licensed the new Williamson Memorial to operate a 76-bed general hospital.
That designation permits the new Williamson Memorial to provide 24-hour in-patient medical and nursing care. Licensure is the latest step forward following Williamson Health & Wellness Center’s purchase of the facility after its closure in April 2020.
“This is a victory for our entire community,” said Williamson Health & Wellness Center CEO Dr. C. Donovan “Dino” Beckett. “The new Williamson Memorial is a part of the fabric of the Tug Valley and all those who live and work here. It is critical to our integrated care system and our goal of health for everyone.”
Almost 200 rural hospitals have closed since 2005, according to Becker’s Hospital Review, a leading industry trade journal. The new Williamson Memorial will rely on integration with Williamson Health & Wellness Center, a federally qualified health center, to bolster its long-term viability.
“Our integrated care model will help us ensure the new Williamson Memorial is not only back but is here to stay for generations to come,” Beckett said.
Millions of dollars have been invested in the facility since its acquisition. The building has been fully renovated with state-of-the-art equipment added. A new air-quality system has been installed to meet the latest regulatory standards. The electrical system has been updated. The medical gas system has been revamped. Sanitation lines have been replaced. Roughly 50 staffers have begun work at the hospital.
“Something truly remarkable is unfolding here in southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky,” said Tim Hatfield, the CEO of the new Williamson Memorial. “In today’s world, hospitals are not opening across the United States. Many are looking to mergers or joint ventures to stay open, or they’re closing. We are coming back better than ever. We are returning many of the great staff who provided the personal care that meant so much to our community. We have a beautiful, modern facility. And our integrated care model gives us the blueprint for sustained success.”
That is welcome news across the state.
“We are very excited that the new Williamson Memorial has opened its doors to expand health care services in southern West Virginia,” said Jim Kaufman, president and CEO of the West Virginia Hospital Association. “This is a true testament to the leadership team of Dr. Dino Beckett and Tim Hatfield. This is a new chapter in health care for the community and a remarkable accomplishment especially as the nation continues to experience rural hospital closures.”
Known for its slogan “Your Friends on the Hill,” Williamson Memorial traces its history back more than a century. Williamson Health & Wellness Center serves the Tug Valley, employing roughly 140 people and provides primary, pediatric and behavioral and school-based health care and dental, optometry and podiatry services at sites in Williamson and Gilbert.