February 10, 2016
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Barnesville Hospital have signed an affiliation agreement that will improve the availability, quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare services, research and medical education in Belmont County.
Under the agreement, the two health systems will remain independent, but work together to develop additional close-to-home care options for residents in Barnesville and surrounding communities who need specialized treatment.
Ohio State and Barnesville already work closely on rural health residencies for medical students and the Telestroke network. Moving forward, the two systems plan to collaborate in areas such as cardiology, oncology and additional telehealth services. The new affiliation is also expected to improve existing partnerships that both facilities have with Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, W.Va., and East Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry, Ohio.
“I’m excited about strengthening our collaboration with Ohio State,” said David Phillips, administrator and CEO. “The Board of Trustees and I understand that Barnesville Hospital has been a vital part of the community for more than 75 years. This affiliation will help preserve our facility’s independence and place in the community, while tapping the vast resources of a nationally-ranked academic medical center to help us evolve with the changing healthcare landscape.”
The affiliation will allow both hospital systems to identify best practices and develop shared strategies to meet community health needs.
“We look forward to expanding our longtime connection with the Barnesville community. We see many opportunities to enhance specialized medical care and create unique health care solutions for residents,” said Tom Blincoe, executive director of outreach at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center.
Barnesville Hospital is a founding member of the Ohio State Health Network, a consortium established by Ohio State that allows member hospitals to reduce costs, improve quality of care and provide professional development for staff through supply chain management and shared resources and education.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is one of the largest and most diverse academic medical centers in the country, and the only academic medical center in central Ohio. The only central Ohio hospital listed in “America’s Best Hospitals” ranking by U.S. News & World Report, Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center includes a top-30 College of Medicine; six hospitals; a unified physician practice; an extensive network of primary and specialty care practices; more than a dozen research centers and institutes; and 20 core laboratories.
Barnesville Hospital is a Critical Access Hospital (25 inpatient beds) providing a wide variety of clinical and outpatient services to residents in Belmont, Monroe, Harrison, Noble and Guernsey counties.
###
Media Contact: Marti Leitch, Wexner Medical Center Media Relations, 614-293-3737 or Marti.Leitch@osumc.edu