Wheeling Hospital’s Continuous Care Center garners more national recognition with annual award

The Foundation for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC) Medicine has announced the recipients of its national leadership and excellence awards for 2025. William Carl Mercer, MD, CMD, has been named the 2025 Medical Director of the Year. Dr. Mercer has been a family physician and medical director in Wheeling, WV, for over 30 years. Currently, he is the medical director of WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital’s Continuous Care Center (CCC). He is also a volunteer physician for Project Hope, a street medicine program he founded for the homeless in Wheeling in 2006. There, he works with other volunteers to provide medical care for the homeless.

Dr. Mercer brings a drive and passion to his work at CCC every day, focused on providing the highest quality healthcare to patients. “Dr. Mercer's dedication to a high quality of life for all he serves is one to admire and aspire to replicate. His work in the day-to-day operations of the Continuous Care Center includes staff education and administrative medical direction. I have been witness to his leadership, strong work ethic and human touch focus that drives and supports excellence in performance on so many levels”, says Christine Tarr, administrator of the Continuous Care Center. His work with Project Hope has also had an impact throughout the state. In a letter supporting Dr. Mercer’s nomination, Joe Manchin, former U.S. Senator from West Virginia, said, “Dr. Mercer is instrumental in helping improve the quality of life of those residing in long-term care in Ohio County.”

This award is a source of honor and validation for Dr. Mercer, a long-time Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association (PALTmed) member. “I learned early in my career that you can make a difference if you get involved, connect with people, and prioritize efforts to both learn and teach,” he said. “I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish, but I didn’t do it on my own. I’ve worked with great people, and I have a great team; so this is truly a win for all of us.”

The awards will be presented in March at PALTmed’s PALTC25 Annual Conference in Charlotte, NC. Please view the PALTC Foundation website for more information on the 2025 Excellence Award winners.

About the Foundation for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine
The Foundation for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine is an independent not-for-profit national organization that philanthropically supports the advancement of education, clinical resources, workforce, and research. The Foundation advances the quality of life for persons in post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) through inspiring, educating and recognizing future and current health care professionals. Visit the Foundation for PALTC Medicine at www.paltcfoundation.org.

Pictured below is a drone photo of Wheeling Hospital’s Continuous Care Center.