It is with great excitement that East Ohio Regional Hospital announces that it plans to officially reopen to the public at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2021. After closing its doors in September 2019, the hospital was purchased in 2020 by Ohio resident, Dr. John Johnson, MD, MBA, with an ambitious plan to improve upon the former facility and reopen this important community hospital. “This community, as well as the broader Ohio Valley, deserves to have a solid community-focused hospital. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to reopen EORH and look forward to serving the area for years to come.”
According to East Ohio Regional Hospital Chief Operating Officer Bernie Albertini, more than 400 employees have been hired and a financial investment of several million dollars was made to improve the facility. “We have been working hard every day since we announced that the hospital would reopen. We are so proud of our EORH team and what this represents for the area.” said Albertini. EORH officials recently learned that it had cleared its final regulatory approvals by both state and federal agencies to allow for this long-awaited reopening of the beloved community hospital that has been a part of the community since 1906.
To commemorate its reopening, the EORH Emergency Department will announce an official “Signing On” with the local Emergency Management Service. This “Signing On” will stand in stark contrast to the announcement on September 27, 2019, when the EORH Emergency Department announced its final “Sign Off”, as the hospital that had served the area for 113 years closed at 11:59 p.m. As continued work on I-70 has resulted in additional road closures, including the Fulton Bridge and major areas of the interstate, EORH officials anticipate an immediate need in the area for the reopening of EORH. “We are opening as quickly as possible to provide a safe and immediate destination for local EMS to deliver patients in a timely manner. The route to EORH remains open and without delay and we stand ready to assist our first responders when minutes can matter to patients in need.” Albertini added.
Later this year, EORH officials will join with both federal, state, and local officials to participate in an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the opening of the hospital, as well as planning for a larger community appreciation event at EORH later this year when COVID restrictions allow for the same. “Our main focus right now is getting our doors open and doing it the right way. Dr. Johnson has plans to thank the community and region at a larger event later this
year. Right now, we remain laser-focused on getting back to doing what we do best – serving our local community.” East Ohio Hospital, LLC, is owned and operated by Dr. John Johnson, MD, MBA, a resident of Ohio and board-certified psychiatrist. Over the last 35 years, Dr. John Johnson has started, acquired, and grown a variety of health care organizations that he continues to own and operate; including one of Ohio’s largest independent behavioral health centers, Access Ohio, and a 110-bed in-patient psychiatric hospital, Access Hospital outside Dayton, Ohio. He also owns and operates primary care centers, substance abuse and residential treatment facilities, and telemedicine and healthcare technology enterprises. The Ohio-based operator is committed to returning localized and personal medical care to the residents of Belmont County and the surrounding communities.
