WVU Medicine is the affiliated academic medical system of West Virginia University. The name "WVU Medicine" itself is not a legal entity, but is simply a brand name whose purpose is to help align and coordinate the internal operational activities and external initiatives of several clinical and academic-related organizations, including:
The WVU Health System, WVU Medicine's largest component, is a not-for-profit corporation and West Virginia's largest employer. Its hospitals include a 690-bed academic medical center, four community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, and a children's hospital. The health system's flagship academic medical center also has a variety of clinical and operational affiliations with dozens of hospitals across the West Virginia-Pennsylvania-Maryland region, including Wetzel County Hospital in New Martinsville, WV; Davis Health System in Elkins, WV; and Garrett Regional Medical Center in Oakland, MD. The health system has more than 1,000 active medical staff members and 1,450 beds. The faculty practice plan and the School of Medicine have 410 residents, 38 ACGME-accredited programs, and 12 special fellowships. The faculty practice also operates several clinics across West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
General background
In 1960, West Virginia University, located in Morgantown, West Virginia, commenced operations of a tertiary care teaching hospital as a component of the medical center of the University. In 1984, the West Virginia Legislature adopted legislation that authorized separation of the hospital operations from the University and the establishment of a separate corporate entity. West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc. was incorporated as a non-stock, not-for-profit corporation and, by an agreement of transfer and lease dated July 1, 1984, assumed the operation of and responsibility for the Hospital. The existing, 690-bed hospital serves as a major statewide and regional health care referral center, and provides the principal clinical education and research site for West Virginia University. The Hospital's original facility, constructed in 1960, is now the WVU Health Sciences Building and serves as the central academic teaching facility for WVU. Ownership of this facility resides with the State of West Virginia. In 1986, West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc. began construction of its current facility, J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, a 10-story, facility that began operating in 1988. The J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital is a tertiary care referral center and serves as the principal clinical education and research site for the WVU School of Medicine. As part of its 690-bed complement and within its existing contiguous facility, the Hospital operates a 119-bed Children's Hospital. However, in November 2017, the leadership of WVU Medicine announced plans to build a 10-story, 150-bed Children's Hospital on the main medical campus in Morgantown. The broader health system, now known as the West Virginia University Health System, formed in 1996 with J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital and United Hospital Center as the original two hospital members. Since then, the health system has grown mostly through acquisitions or clinical affiliation agreements. West Virginia University Health System, which operates under the brand "WVU Medicine," has since become West Virginia's largest employer and healthcare provider. Collectively, WVU Medicine operates in all but 14 of West Virginia's 55 counties, and has clinics in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
