Rural hospitals across America have been struggling in recent years, and those challenges were furtherexacerbatedwith the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last March.

The Stay at Home orders issued by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice and Virginia Governor Ralph Northamearlier this yearfurther added to the challenges faced by rural medical centers. The state-ordered closures included a moratorium on all elective surgeries at hospitals like Princeton Community Hospital and Bluefield Regional Medical Center. At the time, we didnt know a lot about COVID-19, so folks were naturally worried about this global pandemic. So worried, in fact, that many citizens made it a point to stay away from hospitals, with others opting to delay important medical procedures and routine medical treatment. All of this led toa significant decline in patient volume and services at rural hospitals across the nation, including right here in southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia.

This brings us to where we are today. All in-patient and ancillary services have ceased at Bluefield Regional Medical Center, a tremendous loss for the region.

We know many area residents are concerned some are downright alarmed by this development. We have read, and published,many letters from our readers over the past couple of weeks where you have expressed your concerns about the closure of Bluefield Regional Medical Center.

We understand your concerns. However, it should be noted that all of the news isnt bad.

The newly renamedPCHBluefield Emergency Department is now operational at the same location where Bluefield Regional Medical Centers emergency room was.And thePCH Bluefield Emergency Department will be open24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, to help meet the emergency needs of residents in Bluefield and surrounding communities. It is staffed by a team ofexperienced and highly qualified emergency physicians and nurses who are ready to provide care to area residents during an emergency.

Services provided by the newPCHBluefield Emergency Department include:

Emergent treatment/stabilization for all illnesses and injuries, including cardiac, stroke, respiratory and traumatic injuries

A full array of laboratory services

A decontamination room

Imaging services with low-dose CT scan, Digital X-Ray and CT scans

Helicopter transport to other facilities

Ambulance transport

Keeping the Bluefieldemergencydepartment open on a full-time basisand fullystaffedis an absolute necessity. This is a good, first step in ensuring that medical services are available to residents in the Bluefield area when they experience an emergency.

But there is still much more work to be done. The city of Bluefield, working in conjunction with Princeton Community Hospital and other community stakeholders, must continuesearchingfor a way to provide expanded health care services to the residents of the two Bluefields. Finding new uses for the Bluefield Regional Medical Centercampus also is a necessity, and already potential partnerships are being discussed with entities such as Bluefield State College.With more than 90 inpatient rooms that could serve as dorm rooms and the possibility of expanding BSCs medical field programs,the educational option is absolutely on the table,according to Princeton Community HospitalChief Executive Officer Jeffrey Lilley.

Lilley says a possible cancer treatment center also is an idea under consideration for the Bluefield facility.

We look forward to learningmoredetailsabout such plans and partnerships in the weeks and months ahead.

But for now the immediate focus must be on health care, particularly in light of the continuing pandemic.

Ensuring the health and well-being of the citizens of Mercer County and surrounding areas should be the priority of all parties involved as we transition through this difficult period.

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FROM THE OPINION PAGE Health care transition: Emergency room still available in Bluefield - Bluefield Daily Telegraph