The honest answer the service director of Martins Ferry could offer is, “I sure hope so.”
The question? Will East Ohio Regional Hospital ever re-open?
“I think the folks here in Martins Ferry felt as if they had a security blanket if they lived near East Ohio Regional Hospital because that’s what it was. If they needed those folks, they were right down the street in a lot of cases,” said Scott Porter. “It just feels different to them now, and that’s completely understandable.
“The folks here now have to depend on transportation, and that’s an issue. And if they need an emergency room? The people of Martins Ferry lost the place they knew could save their lives,” he continued. “And that really extends beyond our city limits, too. That hospital was a lifeline.”
East Ohio Regional Hospital ceased most operation in late September, and these days only a few doctors continue to practice from one of the buildings. The nearby parking lots were vacant on a weekday afternoon because more than 350 people lost their jobs when the Alecto Corp. chose to shutter the medical facility.
A development announcement was scheduled for an evening in early October, but it was canceled, and no further information has been offered.
“As of now, the property is still dark, yes, but there is a maintenance company that has gone in to perform some work on the heating and air-conditioning systems,” Porter said. “And I was in a recent meeting where the interested parties explained they are in the process of making sure the financing can get in place.
“So, (the city) is very hopeful because we feel we need something on this side of all of that interstate construction,” he said. “I am very confident that discussions are taking place right now, but the property owners are MPT Properties out of Alabama, and it’s a $20 billion-dollar global company. So, that dark property is likely something that doesn’t affect the bottom much at all, and we’re Martins Ferry and the Ohio Valley. How much can these huge conglomerates care about something that likely seems so minor on their radar? That’s a big worry of mine.”
East Ohio Regional Hospital, in existence since the early 1900s, was operated by a non-profit organization for decades until the sale to Alecto in 2016. The Ohio Valley Medical Center, Hillcrest, and the Byrd juvenile behavioral center were closed in early September, and those sudden terminations cost the Upper Ohio Valley more than 800 jobs.
“What those people have done to this area is horrible, and it’s driving up the costs associated with EMS services, too,” Porter explained. “But like I said, I know discussions are taking place, so now we’re at the point as a city to where we’re waiting for them to pull the trigger.
“The tax collections for the city of Martins Ferry have been impacted, but so far, not as much as we anticipated, but that’s likely because we’ve had some other businesses come into the city,” he said. “It won’t be until the middle of the year when we realize the full effect to the general revenue.”
“Coping,” is how the East Ohio native described how Martins Ferry residents are handling the closure and seeking emergency care elsewhere.
“For the people in Belmont County, the options are limited right now, but Trinity opened an urgent care in St. Clairsville, and there is talk of something similar coming to Martins Ferry,” Porter said. “But when people need a hospital, it’s Wheeling, Glen Dale, Barnesville, and even Harrison County,” he said. “In Martins Ferry, we’re going to remain hopeful because we have to believe something is going to happen soon.
“I know it’s been quiet during the holidays,” he added. “But I’m hopeful we’ll hear something soon.”
