West Virginia Department of Health Facilities joins with lawmakers for next tour of hospitals in the state

CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — Lawmakers from the West Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate visited and toured two more state establishments as part of the West Virginia Department of Health Facilities’ (DHF) effort to improve patient care in the state.

Participants in this tour included:

• Chair of the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability (LOCHHRA) Delegate Amy Summers
• Delegate Bob Fehrenbacher
• Delegate Ric Griffith
• Delegate Heather Tully
• Senator Michael Oliverio
• Delegate Joey Garcia
• Delegate Phil Mallow
• Delegate Mike DeVault
• Delegate Michael Hite
• Delegate D. Rolland “Buck” Jennings
• Delegate George Street
• Senator Jay Taylor
• Delegate Matthew Rohrbach

The group was led by DHF Cabinet Secretary Michael J. Caruso where they went and visited John Manchin Sr. Health Care Center in Fairmont, before visiting and touring Hopemont Hospital in Terra Alta. Both establishments have a four-star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for providing some of the best quality care to their patients.

“I am so grateful our dedicated public servants were able to see the passion the hospitals’ staff have in caring for some of our state’s most vulnerable citizens. I look forward to future partnerships as we work to overcome challenges and celebrate successes together,” Caruso shared.

“We appreciate the DHF coordinating these site visits to allow legislators the opportunity to view the care residents are receiving, as well as the facilities themselves,” Chairwoman Summers added.

LOCHHRA members visited Jackie Withrow Hospital in Beckley in May. Before that tour, they visited Mildred-Mitchell Bateman Hospital in Huntington and William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital in Weston.