Photo courtesy: John McCabe/Files
Douglas Harrison, president and CEO of WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital and Reynolds Memorial Hospital, discusses a new regional cancer center to be built on the old OVMC campus at a media event in October.
WHEELING — WVU Medicine’s latest investment in the city of Wheeling brings a regional cancer center to the area in hopes of revitalizing the Wheeling section when the Ohio Valley Medical Center closes its doors.
WVU Medicine announced in October that it would purchase the old OVMC campus, demolish the remaining empty building there, and build a four-story, state-of-the-art cancer center in its place.
“I think this is a big win for WVU Medicine and a big win for the City of Wheeling and Ohio County,” said Albert Wright Jr., president and CEO of the University of West Virginia Health System. the morning of the announcement. “We will build grand buildings and programs here. We hope you and your loved ones will never need them, but if you do, we are here.
The new center is expected to take about five years to complete, hospital officials said. Facility plans call for 75,000 to 90,000 square feet of space.
An expected workforce of 150 employees will be deployed to handle the expected 40,000 patient visits per year.
The center will likely offer medical oncology, radiation oncology, mammography services, a melanoma center, specialty pharmacies, telemedicine capabilities, a multidisciplinary oncology board, and academic research facilities, officials said. .
West Virginia has the second-highest cancer mortality rate in the United States, according to WVU Medicine, and the future facility will be an important addition to the Northern Panhandle. Bernie Twigg, president of WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital and Wheeling Hospital, said the center’s location will be as important as its purpose.
“Family doesn’t have to travel to Pittsburgh or go to Columbus or Cleveland. Staying at Wheeling near family will get the best care,” says Twigg. “This will be remarkable. Years from now, when we cut the ribbon, we will all be in awe.”
City and Ohio County officials hope the new center won’t just be a blow to health care in the area. When OVMC was open, workers and patients’ families would eat and shop at these businesses at the Center Market. The abrupt closure of previous hospitals in 2019 eliminated much of that customer traffic, and the arrival of local cancer centers could bring those customers back.
Market Cafe manager Jenny Showalter said she is looking forward to seeing what the new center will do for Center Wheeling. The arrival of WVU medicine in your neighborhood may turn things around.
“Great news,” she said. “Hopefully (Center Market) booms again. It died around here when OVMC left. …I think it’s great.”
Staff writers Eric Ayres and Shelly Hanson contributed to this report.
