The new medical facility in St. Clairsville soon to be opened by Trinity Health System is an example of the new “microhospital” model in the healthcare industry that’s designed to bring the care closer to potential patients.
Plus, with approximately 60 employees that will be hired to operate the facility, the healthcare provider is expanding the number of opportunities for young professionals to remain residents in the Upper Ohio Valley, according to Trinity Health’s marketing director Laurie Labishak.
“What we will open soon in St. Clairsville is referred to as a ‘microhospital’ because there will be hospital rooms for when we have a patient who needs to be admitted for whatever reason,” she explained. “Too often, we hear that ‘there are no beds upstairs’, so these rooms will help with that situation in this area. It’s an issue nationwide; I have colleagues all over the country and we’re all struggling with the same thing.
“We’ll have six inpatient rooms and 10 ER bays when we open,” Labishak said. “And there are two operating rooms, too, for a number of procedures, including what an emergency room sees most often, and for the emergency cases that arrive via ambulance or are totally unexpected. It will be a full-service facility, that’s for sure.”
The purpose of most “urgent care” locations throughout the Upper Ohio Valley is to treat minor injuries and illnesses, and while Trinity’s ER operation in St. Clairsville will handle the same kind of cases, the facility will shorten transport time for the more serious 911 cases in the region.
“We’ll triage you soon after your arrival to see how you are and what the issues are, and then we’re going to care for you as soon as possible. That way, we’re going to alleviate that wait time in the ER, and that’s why a lot of hospitals are moving to this new model,” Labishak said. “This kind of hospital is now being built in areas that are considered a ‘Hospital Desert’ so we can help close that gap where time is lost between injury and treatment.
“So, this hospital will allow healthcare providers to meet patients at that point of injury, and the sooner we triage them, the sooner their recovery begins,” she said. “We’ve already heard that every second counts when it comes to saving lives, so this hospital will have a great impact for the people in the St. Clairsville area.”
Emergency care has evolved through the years, and that’s why Trinity Health will unleash its “Fast Track” care system when the St. Clairsville location opens in the near future.
“It used to be when you went to the emergency room with anything from a stubbed toe to cardiac symptoms, you laid in a bed,” Labishak explained. “Today, a lot of healthcare is delivered vertically these days, and what that means is that we keep patients sitting up now as much as possible and that’s why we now have what are called ‘Fast Track’ bays because we triage patients differently.
“We have three of them in our new location in St. Clairsville and those do not have horizontal beds in them,” she said. “They have vertical chairs in them because we’ve learned that’s the best way to deliver the best care.”
Responding to Need
The microhospital sits on 15 acres that rest between Interstate 70 and U.S. 40, and behind the two-story structure is a large, grassy area where medical helicopters can land in life-flight situations.
The building, Labishak confirmed, was also constructed in a manner that will allow for horizontal or vertical expansion in the future.
“The layout of the hospital and the property allows us to expand in St. Clairsville if we outgrow our footprint,” Labishak explained. “We can either build up or build out since we have the acreage here.
“If there is the need in the future, we definitely will consider the expansion,” she said. “Building this facility was because of the need and the demand, so if that continues to grow in the area, we would consider additional development on the site.”
One reason why future development at Trinity Health’s new St. Clairsville location is already an option because the project is paid for already.
“We’re very blessed not to be in debt for the construction of this hospital in St. Clairsville, and that’s because we have very strong supporters in St. Clairsville and from our Foundation,” Labishak said. “We’ve enjoyed a lot of momentum thanks to folks who have jumped on board because they want their family name connected with the hospital in the same way.
“I do wear the philanthropy hat, too, and I would love to speak with anyone who is interested in having your family name placed in the hospital,” she said. “It’s about leaving a legacy for your family, and it can start by giving me a call at 740-283-7296.”
It is estimated at this time the all-day-every-day microhospital will employ as many as 60 healthcare workers and support staff, and that means, Labishak said, the facility will offer opportunities for young professionals to stay close to their hometowns and their families.
“When I speak with young people today here in the valley, they tell me they are looking for opportunities to stay here close to home, to where they were raised,” Labishak reported. “It’s these types of medical facilities that keep our young people right here in the Upper Ohio Valley because it’s a terrific way to make a living and enjoy everything we have here. It allows them to stay here and raise a family.
“We enjoy the four seasons here, great educational opportunities, and we have wonderful amenities for indoor and outdoor activities, so when someone can make a living here, they often choose to stay close to their families,” she said. “Plus, this new facility in St. Clairsville is an example of the expansion in healthcare right here in the valley region, and that’s why we’re anxious to open the facility once our crews let us know everything is in place so we can start caring for people in St. Clairsville.”
