UHC Plays Host to West Virginia State Legislators
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on December 23, 2024
In keeping with its mission to deliver high-quality care to patients in North Central West Virginia, WVU Medicine United Hospital Center (UHC) held a collaborative effort with the West Virginia Hospital Association (WVHA), by welcoming five West Virginia State Legislators to the Bridgeport campus on Tuesday, December 17, for a legislative roundtable.
The visiting legislators included Senator Ben Queen (Senate District 12); Delegate Joey Garcia (House District 76, Senator-elect); Delegate Keith Marple (House District 69); Delegate Chris Phillips (House District 68); and Delegate Bryan Smith (House District 73, Delegate-elect).
During the visit, David F. Hess, MD, president and CEO at UHC, provided an overview of the hospital’s operations and impact on the region. Notable highlights incorporated growth in surgeries, acute admissions, births, cancer center, and Outpatient clinic visits.
UHC has become a regional referral center for the central part of West Virginia as more patients are requiring complex care. Recently, WVU Cancer Institute at UHC was the first in the state to offer CYTALUX® (pafolacianine), a groundbreaking imaging agent for lung cancer detection. This innovative technology enhances a surgeon’s ability to visualize, identify, and remove cancerous tissue with precision and in real time.
Future expansion opportunities for UHC include the opening of its Elkins Corridor Medical Center in 2025. This ambitious venture will transform healthcare in Randolph County and the surrounding region by bringing vital healthcare services closer to home.
The day concluded with a hospital tour of the new $7.9 million Intermediate Unit that opened in September.
Editor's Note: Pictured, from left, are Nicholas Baker, MD, thoracic surgeon at UHC Lung Center; David F. Hess, MD, president and CEO at UHC; Senator Ben Queen; Delegate Bryan Smith (Delegate-elect); Delegate Chris Phillips; Delegate Joey Garcia (Senator-elect); Delegate Keith Marple; Danielle Walz, AVP, Government Relations and Associate General Counsel; Karen Bowling, president and CEO, at Princeton Community Hospital; and Dr. Mark Povroznik, Vice President of Quality, Chief Quality Office and Chairman of Infection Control at UHC.
