CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Vandalia Health, the second largest health system in West Virginia, is restructuring.
In a letter to employees, soon-to-be-retired President and CEO David Ramsey and incoming President and Jeff Sandene spell out the changes which include the departure of David Goldberg, who has been executive vice president and CEO of Vandalia’s Northern Region based at Mon Health in Morgantown.
“Effective immediately, Vandalia Health will be restructured to create two distinct divisions: the CAMC Division and the Regional Hospital Division,” the letter from Ramsey and Sandene said. “The CAMC Division will encompass CAMC Charleston Surgical Hospital, CAMC Memorial Hospital, CAMC General Hospital, CAMC Teays Valley Hospital, and CAMC Women’s and Children Hospital. The Regional Hospital Division will include Broaddus Hospital, CAMC Greenbrier Valley Hospital, CAMC Plateau Medical Center, Davis Medical Center, Mon Harrison Hospital, Mon Marion Hospital, Mon Medical Center, Mon Preston Memorial Hospital, Mon Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital, and Webster Springs Hospital. Additionally, the Regional Hospital Division will oversee management of Grafton Community Hospital, Minnie Hamilton Hospital, and Highland Clarksburg Hospital. Ambulatory services will also align with the regions as laid out here.”
MetroNews caught up with Ramsey Wednesday morning and he said Vandalia Health is restructuring for the future.
“And we’re restructuring to be successful in the future,” Ramsey said. “Nobody has to worry about their jobs, the jobs will be there. We want all of our hospitals to be successful and serve their communities, grow in the services they offer. Hopefully, they (the employees) saw that in the letter that we sent.”
Vandalia Health has more than 14,000 employees.
The letter discusses a number of higher level personnel changes including Goldberg.
“With this restructuring, David Goldberg has left the organization. Jeff Goode, Senior Vice President for Vandalia Health South Ambulatory and Southern Regional Hospitals, will now assume the position of Executive Vice President of the Regional Hospital Division, effective immediately. With this new reporting structure, Jeff Oskin, currently Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Vandalia Health South, will be appointed Executive Vice President responsible for the CAMC Division. He will step into this role upon Dr. Glenn Crotty’s retirement on June 1, 2026.”
Ramsey told MetroNews he wishes Goldberg well.
“He had the vision of bringing that system (Mon Health) into the CAMC system to create Vandalia Health. He’s done a great deal for the community and for the organization up there. He just didn’t see a role in our organization going forward,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey and Sandene said the landscape is changing “with the recent announcement of reductions in the number Medicaid recipients and the anticipated decrease in Medicaid reimbursements in West Virginia. Like health systems nationwide, these changes will impact us, and we must be proactive in preparing for what lies ahead.
“In light of these developments and our new structure, we will be eliminating the President & CEO positions in Vandalia Health North and, following Dr. Crotty’s retirement, in Vandalia
“Health South. In addition, the positions of SVP for Ambulatory Services and South Regional Hospitals and the SVP and COO position for CAMC will be eliminated.”
Ramsey told MetroNews the state is set to lose $1.3 billion in Medicaid funding in the next two years. He said 50 percent of CAMC’s patients are Medicaid patients.
“The candid truth is this part of our state is not doing as well from an employment and benefits standpoint as other parts of our state. We have to scratch every day to make it all work and take care of the communities we serve and all of the people that depend on us,” Ramsey said.
Vandalia Health will be four years old this fall. The growth has been quicker than expected, Ramsey said Wednesday.
“We had no idea when we merged with Mon (Health) that we would go from four to eight to 17 (health facilities) total. It’s time. We’ve matured a little bit and now it’s time to reorganize and restructure a little bit.” Ramsey said.
Geno Chiarelli, R, Monongalia, 78, said he was shocked and wondered about the future of what was the Mon Health System in Morgantown and the surrounding area.
“I’m sure that the hospital will survive, however it’s hard for me to imagine it growing and thriving at the same rate that it was before without David Goldberg,” Chiarelli said. “I guess we’ll have to see what happens.”
Monongalia County Commission president Tom Bloom had worked with Goldberg on a number of initiatives both nonprofit and professional. Bloom wants to make sure to develop a relationship with the next leader Vandalia Health will name for the area.
“He represented our area amazingly and this is going to be a great loss,” Bloom said. “Not only did he have the respect of his staff and workers but he had the respect of state and local officials.”
Goldberg was hired by the Mon Health System in October 2018 from the Highmark Health’s Alleghany Health Network (AHN) in Pittsburgh. Goldberg provided leadership through the pandemic and brought the small format concept to West Virginia that has become very popular in Marion County and another under construction in Harrison County.
Goldberg has also served president and Service Line Executive for cardiovascular and behavioral health services at Tenet Health’s Baptist Health System in San Antonio, Texas. He has also served as a vice president and administrator with Inova Health System in Falls Church, Va.