WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Williamson Memorial Hospital is celebrating its recent reopening.
The hospital is one of only a few free-standing community hospitals left in the state.
The hospital, which closed in 2020, was bought by C. Donovan Beckett, CEO of Williamson Health and Wellness Center. Beckett has been in charge of integrated health clinics around Williamson. And since Beckett bought the hospital, they have been invested in renovating and upgrading it.
The hospital has been given new equipment, a new air quality system that now meets new regulatory standards, the electrical system has been updated, the medical gas system was redone, and new sanitation lines have been put in to replace the old ones.
Williamson Memorial CEO Tim Hatfield said that the reopening of the hospital has been in the works for a while.
“You know it’s been a vision, Williamson Health and Wellness Center and our CEO Dr. Beckett created integrated health care system and for years we’ve had clinics here in downtown Williamson, from our behavioral health clinic, family medicine, podiatry, occupational health, as well as dentistry and optometry,” Hatfield said during a recent appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Along with the renovations, Hatfield said they have completed their survey which now allows them to become licensed to be able to operate as a 76-bed general hospital.
“We just did our survey with the West Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification and passed that survey,” Hatfield said “And we were recommended to CMS for accreditation for Medicare payment.”
Since their reopening Hatfield said they have least 50 employees working at the hospital and most of these employees just happened to work at the hospital prior to its closing in 2020.
“We had what was called a Williamson Memorial employee reunion and we opened that up to all former employees and we had over 105 former employees show up for that reception and that meeting,” Hatfield said. “What was just really great about it most of those employees wanted to come back home.”
Hatfield said that he hopes with the hospital reopening, it can help create more jobs.
“A lot of excitement, a lot of synergy, and again when you take a look at the employment opportunities, great paying jobs, close to home, with great benefits, you know our hope, and the hope of the board is to really take the reopening of the hospital is to use it as a springboard for secondary businesses.”
With their new licensure, Williamson Memorial can now start providing 24-hour in-patient medical and nursing care.