PCH Hosts WV Legislators, Showcases Advancements and Community Impact
WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital (PCH), in collaboration with the West Virginia Hospital Association, hosted West Virginia State Legislators yesterday to discuss recent advancements in care, future plans, and the hospital’s commitment to supporting the community through its five-county network of clinics and its behavioral health hospital.
The visiting legislators—Senator Mark Maynard (Senate District 6), Senator Brian Helton (Senate District 9), and Delegate Doug Smith (House District 27)—received an in-depth update from Karen Bowling, PCH President and CEO.
Bowling highlighted significant strides in providing services that allow patients to receive critical care closer to home. As a result, since 2022:
- Cardiac catheterization procedures at PCH increased by 42%.
- Interventional radiology procedures rose by 34%.
- Oncology infusion treatments grew by 11%.
“We have a lot of heart disease in this part of the state,” said Bowling. “And we’ve had young people – some in their 30s – come here suffering a STEMI heart attack. Because of the investments WVU Medicine has made, patients can get treated quickly, walk out, and go back to their lives.”
Bowling shared that PCH’s impact extends beyond healthcare. The hospital’s economic contributions to the region and employment numbers have grown in recent years.
“A robust healthcare sector provides good jobs for employees, which supports other businesses throughout the community,” Bowling emphasized.
Over the past three years, WVU Medicine has made nearly $50 million in capital investments into PCH, with an additional $65 million earmarked for a new cancer center and emergency department in Bluefield, both of which break ground this Spring.
“Our hospitals are not just buildings where care happens; they are economic engines and pillars of our communities,” Bowling said to the legislators. “From advancing lifesaving technologies to ensuring accessible care close to home, we strive to improve lives in the Two Virginias region. These advancements reflect our unwavering commitment to being a hub of healthcare excellence for this region.”
Bowling also reviewed the new services, clinics and visitor/patient enhancements from 2024, including:
- New oncology clinic, pulmonary and sleep lab clinic, cardiac clinic, and infusion clinic. PCH also added two new triage units to its Women’s Center.
- Service enhancements including relocating the outpatient lab to make it more accessible to the main entrance, creating new dining options, and introducing valet parking.
- Investments in state-of-the-art technology such as a new spectral CT scanner and the replacement of all beds in intensive and critical care units with high-tech models that improve patient safety.
Legislators ended their visit by touring renovations currently underway to patient rooms in the main tower’s fourth floor. By the end of February 2025, 14 newly-renovated patient rooms will open. By August, the entire fourth floor of the hospital's main towner will be completely renovated yielding a total of 18 new, state-of-the-art private patient rooms.
About WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital
WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital is leading healthcare in the two Virginias. With 420 physicians and mid-level providers, PCH operates a fully accredited 203-bed acute care medical facility, a 64-bed psychiatric hospital, and a stand-alone emergency room and outpatient services facility in Bluefield. Through its subsidiary Mercer Medical Group, PCH operates eight primary care clinics and eight specialty clinics offering a wide range of care to a 10-county region.