July 12th, 2022 by WCBC Radio
Garrett Regional Medical Center and the West Virginia University Health System held a ribbon cutting Monday to celebrate GRMC becoming a full member of the WVU Health System. The standing-room-only crowd included local officials, members of the business community and staff and leaders from GRMC and WVU Medicine.
Albert L. Wright Jr., president and CEO of the WVU Health System, called the partnership a win for both the system and the Western Maryland regional hospital.
“We consider Garrett Regional Medical Center to be an excellent addition to the WVU Health System,” Wright said. “GRMC has been one of the highest rated hospitals for patient care in the state of Maryland for the past several years. We are honored to deepen our relationship with the best hospital in Western Maryland, and we look forward to working with GRMC to continue to grow health care services for the people of this area.”
GRMC became clinically affiliated with the WVU Health System in 2015. Moving to a full member of the health system will enable GRMC to continue to grow the specialty services available to the 46,000 people in GRMC’s service area, which includes parts of eight counties across Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. It will also facilitate seamless care for patients in the Garrett County region between WVU Medicine providers. The membership will allow patients at Garrett Regional Medical Center to have records shared with WVU Medicine physicians and providers. They will also experience streamlined billing if they move among facilities within the WVU Health System.
“Joining the WVU Health System will enable us to continue offering specialty services to the people of our community,” Mark Boucot, president and CEO of GRMC, said. “The affiliation with WVU has helped bring more advanced health care services to Garrett County and helped to transform our hospital to be able to offer care locally so fewer patients have to travel. I believe that joining the WVU Health System will continue to provide GRMC with long-term sustainability for the residents of Garrett County.”
Since clinically affiliating with WVU Health System, GRMC has greatly increased the specialty care services available at its Oakland campus, including cancer care, urology, nephrology, dermatology, cardiopulmonary, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, and heart and vascular care, among other services.
The full partnership became effective July 1
