FAIRLEA, W.Va. — Vandalia Health has announced plans for changes at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center in Fairlea including changing its designation and eliminating OB delivery services.
Vandalia will seek approval from regulators to change GVMC from acute care into a Critical Access Hospital that allows for 25 beds and nine observation beds.
“This is a proactive step to make sure the hospital remains sustainable and able to serve the community in the future,” Vandalia Health spokesman Dale Witte told MetroNews Thursday.
The medical center’s finances have been impacted by fewer traditional hospital patients and low reimbursement rates. The average daily patient census is 34.
“When you look at governmental payment for insurance–PEIA, Medicaid, Medicare–they reimburse us on roughly 60-70 cents on every dollar it takes to care for a patient,” Witte said. “Switching to critical access increases those reimbursements.”
Witte said GVMC will continue to offer 24/7 emergency services and a host of outpatient services. There’s a $15 million expansion project taking place at the outpatient facility located next to the hospital. Witte said Vandalia has invested $50 million at the hospital in the last three years.
Baby deliveries will end next year
The medical center will end its baby delivery services at the end of April 2026. Witte said they’ve been recruiting OB/GYN providers and nurses for more than two years, without success. Witte said they are transitioning with local OB/GYN physicians.
“We are working providers in the area so they can still see patients and help those patients when they are pre-natal and then we’ll work with them to have them deliver in Beckley or Charleston or some other location,” Witte said.
GVMC has experienced a steady drop in deliveries over the last few years. The hospital delivered 388 children in 2022–that number has fallen this year to 241.
Physicians practicing at GVMC will continue to provide outpatient prenatal, gynecologic and pediatric care, Vandalia said.
Employees impacted will have the opportunity to transfer to other jobs within the Vandalia system.
Witte said Vandalia remains committed to the Greenbrier Valley.
“It’s just reflecting the trends where it’s more of a need to provide outpatient services than it is impatient services,” he said.
It’s expected to take about a year to get all of the required approvals to make the changes.
Vandalia Health took control of GVMC in January 2023 after announcing the purchase in September 2022.