Preserving and Expanding Access to High-Quality Healthcare, Close to Home
Butler Memorial Hospital, Clarion Hospital, Frick Hospital, Latrobe Hospital, and Westmoreland Hospital have all joined the West Virginia University Health System (WVU Medicine). This webpage provides important information for patients, community members, and other stakeholders.
Better Patient Care Expands Into Southwest PA
The WVU Health System is the academic health system of West Virginia University, the State of West Virginia’s land-grant university. Founded in 1996, the WVU Health System brings together patient care, medical education, and clinical research across a growing network of hospitals, clinics, and specialty institutes. Recent additions, including Butler Memorial Hospital, Clarion Hospital, Frick Hospital, Latrobe Hospital, and Westmoreland Hospital, have expanded the health system’s reach, bringing the total number of hospitals to 30. At the center of our network of hospitals and clinics is our 890-bed academic medical center in Morgantown, West Virginia, where we provide solid organ transplant services and many other advanced specialty services.
WVU Medicine serves communities throughout West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland and is home to nationally and internationally recognized clinical programs, including the WVU Cancer Institute, WVU Critical Care and Trauma Institute, WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, WVU Eye Institute, WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, and WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital The Health System employs more than 47,000 people whose work supports patient care, advances in medical innovation, and contributes to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.
The Future of Healthcare
The future of healthcare in southwestern Pennsylvania is centered on expanding access to high-quality care close to home. Through an $800 million investment, the WVU Health System will strengthen Butler Memorial Hospital, Clarion Hospital, Frick Hospital, Latrobe Hospital, and Westmoreland Hospital with a new electronic medical record system, facility upgrades and expansions, expanded services, and enhanced clinical capabilities. By combining community-based care with the resources of a nationally recognized academic health system, these hospitals and their patients will benefit from greater clinical collaboration, research, education, physician recruitment, clinical trials, and specialty care access that WVU Medicine will provide. Together, these investments will help ensure the hospitals remain strong and innovative healthcare destinations that meet the evolving needs of the communities they serve for generations to come.
What This Means for Independence Health System Patients
If you were a patient of one of these five hospitals or their affiliated physician offices, surgical centers, or outpatient clinics, welcome to WVU Medicine! To the right are FAQs we think you will find helpful as we welcome you to WVU Medicine.
Do I need to do anything differently on October 1?
No. You may continue to see your doctors, keep your scheduled appointments, and receive care at the same hospitals, physician offices, and outpatient locations you use today. As changes are made over time, we will communicate important information to patients in advance. Our commitment is to make this transition as seamless as possible while expanding the care, services, and resources available to you close to home.
Can I continue to see my current doctor and receive care locally?
Yes. You may continue to see your current doctor and receive care at the same locations.
Will my health insurance still be accepted?
Yes. Independence Health System hospitals and providers will continue participation with the insurance plans and products they currently accept after October 1. AmeriHealth Caritas PA will remain in network through December 31, 2026, and participation will end effective January 1, 2027.
Will my upcoming appointments remain scheduled?
Yes. Continue to plan for your upcoming appointments as scheduled. If anything about a specific appointment needs to change, your physician’s office or care team will contact you directly.
Will my prescriptions or pharmacy arrangements change?
No. There are no immediate changes to how you receive your prescriptions. Continue to work with your current physician, care team, and pharmacy as you do today. Over time, we will communicate with patients in advance about any changes that may affect prescriptions or pharmacy services.
Will I still be able to use the same phone numbers to reach my doctor or hospital?
Yes. You can continue to use the phone numbers you use today to reach your hospital, physician’s office, or other care location.
As we bring our systems and websites together, some contact information may change over time. We will communicate those changes when they occur and work to make it easy for patients to find the care they need.
Will my doctor or care team become part of WVU Medicine?
Physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and other team members across the five hospitals and their affiliated practices are becoming part of WVU Medicine. Most importantly, you can continue to receive care from the doctors and care teams you know and trust.
Becoming part of WVU Medicine will also give local care teams greater opportunities to collaborate with specialists and clinical programs throughout the WVU Health System.
Will I have access to WVU Medicine specialists and services that weren’t previously available locally?
Yes. Expanding access to specialty care and services is one of the important benefits of becoming part of WVU Medicine. Over time, we expect to expand access to specialists, clinical programs, technology, and other services throughout the region.
Our goal is to provide as much care as possible close to home while also connecting patients with the broader resources and expertise of WVU Medicine when more specialized care is needed.
If I need highly specialized care, will I have to go to Morgantown?
Not necessarily. Our goal is to provide as much care as possible in your local community and to expand the specialty services available throughout the region.
For certain highly specialized services, your physician may recommend getting care at another WVU Medicine location, including our academic medical center in Morgantown or another hospital or specialty location within the Health System. Being part of WVU Medicine will make it easier for your local care team to connect you with those services when they are needed.
Will emergency care change? Where should I go in an emergency?
Continue to use your local hospital emergency department just as you do today. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
WVU Medicine is also investing in emergency care in the region, including plans for a new Emergency Room at Butler Memorial Hospital.
When will the hospitals officially begin using the WVU Medicine name?
Beginning October 1, Butler Memorial Hospital, Clarion Hospital, Frick Hospital, Latrobe Hospital, and Westmoreland Hospital will be part of the WVU Health System. You will begin to see WVU Medicine branding at those hospitals, physician offices, outpatient locations, and other locations throughout the region. Because this is a significant transition involving many facilities and services, some changes will happen immediately while others will occur gradually.
Will the names of the hospitals change?
No. As the hospitals become part of WVU Medicine, you will begin seeing their names associated with the WVU Medicine brand. While the branding will change, our commitment to providing high-quality care in the communities we serve will remain the same.
What happens to my medical records and patient portal?
Over the next several months, we will transition the five hospitals and their physician offices and clinics to a new, common electronic medical record that links to the WVU Health System’s medical record. WVU Medicine has been consistently recognized as a national leader for its leadership in digital health.
Through MyWVUChart, patients will be able to access their medical records, communicate with their care team and ask them questions, monitor their health status, reorder prescriptions, and schedule appointments. In the meantime, you should expect to use your current patient portal as you do today.
Will the way I pay my bill change?
The WVU Medicine Pay My Bill page will include a dedicated Independence Health System section with pages that mirror the current billing experience.
Where can I go if I have questions about scheduling?
Please call 833-602-CARE (2273) to schedule an appointment with your current physician or other care team member.
What This Means for Independence Health System Communities
In addition to answering questions you may have regarding your care as a patient, we've also included answers to how it will affect the communities Independence Health System served.
Why is Independence Health System joining WVU Medicine?
Joining WVU Medicine gives our hospitals access to the resources, expertise, and capabilities of a leading academic health system while maintaining a strong focus on our local communities. It strengthens the long-term future of health care in our region.
How much is WVU Medicine investing in our communities?
WVU Medicine will invest $800 million over five years to modernize hospitals, expand services, and improve patient access throughout our communities.
What will the $800 million investment include?
Plans include a new Emergency Room at WVU Medicine Butler Memorial Hospital, a major redesign of the WVU Medicine Westmoreland Hospital campus including outpatient clinics and a new hospital tower, and installation of a unified Epic electronic records system at every hospital.
Will our hospitals remain open and care remain local?
Yes. The plan is to strengthen our hospitals, not close them. WVU Medicine will invest in local facilities, technology, specialists, and clinical programs to expand the care available in our communities.
What does this mean for local jobs?
WVU Medicine is committed to maintaining a strong workforce and developing it for the future. While the types of jobs needed may evolve over time, employees will also have new opportunities for education and career growth.
What changes will we see as our hospitals become part of WVU Medicine?
You will begin to see WVU Medicine branding across our hospitals and throughout the region. While the branding will change, our focus will remain on providing high-quality care in the communities we serve.
Here to Bring Better to Life | WVU Medicine Anthem
At WVU Medicine, our purpose is simple: making life better everywhere our neighbors call home because home is worth staying close to.
WVU Medicine: here to bring better to life.
Here to Bring Better to Life | Jennifer's Story
When Uniontown Hospital closed its doors, the impact was deeply felt throughout the community. When WVU Medicine acquired it, we made a commitment to bring essential services, including the birthing center, back to Uniontown.
Jennifer Galla was born at Uniontown Hospital. She now works there, too. When it came time for her to have a baby, Jennifer was able to give birth in the same hospital where her own story began.
A promise made. A promise kept. Another generation beginning at home.
WVU Medicine: here to bring better to life.
Here to Bring Better to Life | Better Access to Care for Western Pennsylvania
What does becoming part of WVU Medicine mean for patients and communities across Western Pennsylvania?
David Rottinghaus, MD, emergency medicine physician at Butler Memorial Hospital, and Mary Elizabeth Kovacik Eicher, MD, MPH, neurologist at Westmoreland Hospital, share how joining WVU Medicine creates new opportunities to expand access to advanced care, bring innovative treatments closer to home, and strengthen healthcare for the communities they serve.
Pardon Our Dust...
As we combine our websites, some providers and locations may not appear on our new website right away. During this transition, you may also notice occasional inaccuracies or outdated information as we work to combine content from both health systems. If you cannot find a provider or location, or if information appears to be incorrect, please visit the Independence Health System website to verify the latest information. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we bring provider, location, and service information together into one easy-to-use website.