Potomac Valley Hospital breaks ground on workforce development center
Potomac Valley Hospital recently broke ground on a workforce development center and medical office building on Pin Oak Lane across from the hospital’s campus. The 12,000 sq. ft. structure will house clinical certification programs as well as offices for the hospital’s growing medical staff.
The project, created in part with a $2.5 million federal grant from the Economic Development Administration, will house certification programs that will prepare area residents to find gainful employment in the health care industry. Tech programs will include certifications for a variety of positions, such as phlebotomy technician, sterile processing technician, medical assistant, and clinical medical assistant.
The programs will also provide a potential workforce for hospitals as well as other clinical practices.
“We included technical education programs in the project in response to the challenges we experience in staffing our hospital and clinics, and because of the employment challenges inherent in our region,” said Mark Boucot, president & CEO at PVH as well as Garrett Regional Medical Center in Oakland. “Medical technicians play a crucial role in modern health care. Making those educational programs available locally not only helps PVH with staff, but also demonstrates our commitment to the Mineral County area and helping people find employment. These programs provide skillsets that are highly sought after in the medical field.”
In addition to the tech certification programs, the new structure will also house medical offices for the fast-growing PVH clinical staff. Over the past several years, PVH has grown its specialty services to include oncology, cardiology, pain management, urology, and urogynecology. The hospital has also grown its stable of general and orthopedic surgeons, making it the hospital of choice for many patients in need of surgical interventions.
“The number of providers at PVH has grown significantly over the past few years, and we need offices for them that are centrally located near the hospital,” noted Amy Boothe, PhD, COO and CFO at Potomac Valley Hospital and Garrett Regional Medical Center. “We have little to no space on the hospital campus for provider offices. The new building will give us a modern structure within walking distance of the hospital for the numerous physicians and advanced practice professionals who serve our patients.”
In growing the medical services available in the community, PVH also has leased several offices in the nearby Potomac Plaza. Services located there include the hospital’s Rapid Care walk-in clinic, which is open 7 days per week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., as well as Behavioral Health, Preventive Medicine, and its Specialty Services Clinic. The hospital also has a Specialty Surgical Office located on Mineral Street.
Mr. Boucot sees that growth continuing in the future.
“We work to bring services here as we identify clinical needs within our patient population,” he said. “We want people in the region to be able to get the health care they need in their own community.”
For more information on PVH services, visit www.wvumedicine.org/potomac-valley-hospital/
Pictured is President and CEO Mark Boucot of Potomac Valley Hospital at the new workforce development center in Mineral County, W.Va.