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Elkins Corridor Medical Center set to open

Local dignitaries and health care officials took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Elkins Corridor Medical Center Thursday morning. Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco, President and CEO of WVU Medicine United Hospital Center David Hess, President and CEO of West Virginia University Health System Albert Wright Jr., Randolph County Commission President David Kesling, Elkins Corridor Medical Center Director of Ambulatory Services Abby Haddix, and Elkins Randolph County Chamber Director Karrah Washington were among those participating. (The Inter-Mountain photo by Edgar Kelley)

ELKINS — Randolph County-area dignitaries took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Elkins Corridor Medical Center Thursday morning.

The facility, which will officially open on Tuesday, is located on North Randolph Avenue.

What officials describe as a state-of-the-art, 38,000 square-feet, $37 million facility will include 34 exam rooms, two procedure rooms, and one cast room.

Hoppy Kercheval, known as the radio “dean” of West Virginia broadcasters, served as the guest speaker for the ceremony. Other speakers included Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco; David Hess, the president and CEO of WVU Medicine United Hospital Center, and Albert Wright Jr., who is the president and CEO of West Virginia University Health System.

Kercheval welcomed those attending the event, and spoke about Elkins and its leadership.

“For those of you not from here, Elkins is a place where traditions take roots and thrive,” Kercheval said. “We are reminded about that every year with the Mountain State Forest Festival, which is coming up here in a couple of weeks. For traditions to continue, you need leaders who are committed, and Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco was quoted in The Elkins Inter-Mountain last December saying ‘a lot of good things are on the horizon.’ Well, today the project that was on the horizon is now in the forefront.”

Kercheval then introduced Marco, who talked about how important he believes the new facility will be to the citizens of Elkins and the surrounding area.

“What a fantastic day to be the mayor of the City of Elkins,” Marco said. “This is a tremendous opportunity, not only for the city, but for Randolph County and the surrounding counties. We are bringing health care opportunities to folks who no longer have to drive to Clarksburg, Morgantown, Pittsburgh and Charleston.

“When David Hess first contacted me, he said he wanted to come to Elkins to meet with me. I told him no, that I would come and meet him. And the reason for that was, if we have a conversation in Elkins at a restaurant, it’s not private, and I know that. So he asked if I was willing to drive to him, and I said if he was willing to bring a potential business here, then heck yeah… What you (Hess) are doing for our community is a tremendous addition, so welcome to our community.”

Marco also thanked the Thrasher Group for finishing the construction of the facility ahead of schedule.

Hess then told the crowd, “Welcome officially to the new WVU Medicine Elkins Corridor Medical Center. It’s an exciting day… We’ve brought the latest and greatest from a technological standpoint and the largest clinic in our entire health system to Elkins.

“This building to me is a commitment by WVU Medicine to our mission, which is to improve the health of West Virginians and all that we serve, through excellence, patient care, research and education,” Hess said. “After months of planning and building, here we are. We are here for this community seven days a week and we are committed to care for you and comfort you.”

Wright made a reference to WVU football games due to the chilly, rainy weather conditions on Thursday.

“It has a tailgate-like feel to it today and I’m afraid we are going to break out into a chant and suggest what Pitt should have for lunch today,” Wright said.

“My favorite days are the days when we get to groundbreakings,” he noted. “We have a mission to improve health in the state of West Virginia and this investment here today is really an example of the health system at its best… This clinic is a big, bold step to provide access to care in the rural part of the state.”

Elkins Corridor Medical Center was constructed at the former Teter Motors property on North Randolph Avenue/U.S. Route 219, next to the Division of Motor Vehicles. The property the clinic sits on includes 6.91 acres that were purchased by WVU Medicine United Hospital Center for $1.65 million in July 2023.

The center will provide family and preventive care, rapid care, lab and infusion services and advanced imaging.

The center will also feature rotating specialty clinics, including audiology, gastroenterology, heart and vascular, infectious diseases, interventional pain medicine, oncology, orthopedics, physiatry, pulmonology, rheumatology and thoracic.

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