ELKINS — Vandalia Health Davis Medical Center plans to transition from an acute care hospital to a Critical Access Hospital, a move aimed at improving long-term sustainability while continuing to provide essential services, including obstetric labor and delivery care. Critical Access Hospitals are rural facilities designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to ensure access in underserved areas, with limits on inpatient beds and length of stay. Davis Medical Center currently averages 28 patients daily.
Hospital leaders said the transition aligns with national rural health care trends and will not reduce services. The designation offers enhanced reimbursement, helping financial stability, while supporting continued growth in outpatient services such as clinics and surgical care. More than 1,300 Critical Access Hospitals operate nationwide, including 21 in West Virginia, and Vandalia Health has applied for the change, with approval expected to take about 12 months.
Officials said employees will remain a priority as roles evolve with expanded outpatient services. Vandalia Health has invested more than $50 million in the facility over the past two years and plans further investment. Separately, the hospital will close its home health program to focus on core services, with efforts underway to transition patients to other providers and place affected staff in new roles within the system.
