FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Construction is underway for a 30-bed skilled nursing unit at the WVU Medicine Fairmont Medical Center. The facility is expected to open this fall for short-term care and observation post-surgery or illness patients.
“We have planned to add a skilled nursing unit since we opened, and we are excited to see that begin to come to fruition,” Aaron Yanuzo, WVU Medicine Fairmont Medical Center chief operations officer, said. “We started working with architects and the construction crews last year. We understand that patients recover better when they are close to their support system, so it is our hope that having a transitional skilled nursing unit here in Fairmont will lead to better patient outcomes and reduce the burden of travel for their families.”
Skilled nursing units are designed for patients who require a higher level of care that can be received at home, but don’t need the full services of a hospital. Trained nurses, occupational and physical therapists will help patients work through recovery and return to normal activity levels.
“The last few years have been a period of growth for Fairmont Medical Center,” Michael Grace, Ed.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.H.E., president of WVU Hospitals, said. “We are excited to see the positive impact this and other projects will have on the community.”
The unit will be located on the second floor of the hospital and will include private rooms and bathrooms; common areas, including a dining room, a physical therapy room, and a salon.
The project is part of the $100 million, five-year renovation and remodeling plan that will expand on the services offered in Marion County.