Move ahead with it

When the West Virginia Health Care Authority held a public hearing about War Memorial Hospital plans in October, we saw a lot of hand-wringing locally.
There was a fear that Governor Joe Manchin would pull the Health Care Authority’s strings and put a stop to a new hospital built by Valley Health Systems. Manchin, after all, has always been clear about his desire that WVU Hospitals-East run War Memorial.
But in our conversations, the Health Care Authority staff showed obvious irritation at the notion that they would be considering anything but the merits of Valley Health Systems’ plan or that politics would enter into it. We told several people this, but they were still doubtful.
Well, now the Health Care Authority has come through. Valley Health has been granted the certificate of need for the project, and they can move ahead with buying the county-owned hospital – an idea that originated in a Morgan Messenger editorial in 2007.
The Health Care Authority’s review of the plans should also end any lingering doubts about the viability of the new hospital.
Congratulations, Valley Health. Let’s get on with it!