Hocking Valley Community Hospital is improving access to emergency care in the community by transitioning urgent care services to a single, comprehensive Emergency Department beginning July 1.
This evolution of services reflects HVCH’s continued commitment to providing safe, efficient, and high-quality care — ensuring every patient receives the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
By centralizing services within the Emergency Department, patients will benefit from a streamlined experience with one convenient access point. The ED will continue to care for minor illnesses and injuries while offering the added advantage of immediate access to emergency-level evaluation and treatment if needed. With 24/7 availability, the community can rely on continuous access to care around the clock.
“This is an important step in how we serve our community,” Stacey Gabriel, HVCH Chief Executive Officer, said. “By bringing services together within our Emergency Department, we’re improving access, enhancing safety, and ensuring every patient has immediate access to the full resources of our care team. Our focus remains on delivering exceptional care close to home.”
Curtis Golden, Director of Emergency Services, said this transition also benefits staff through stronger collaboration among clinical teams, improved patient flow, allowing staff to work at the top of their licensure, and reducing the duplication of tasks and documents.
“For patients, this means simpler, more coordinated care,” Golden said. “There’s no longer a question of what kind of visit to register as at check in. Our team will assess each patient upon arrival and ensure they receive the appropriate level of care quickly and efficiently. Most importantly, if a condition is more serious than expected, emergency-level care is immediately available without having to re-register as a different type of visit.”
While patients will be registered as Emergency Department visits, costs will vary based on individual insurance coverage; hospital financial support applications remain available to everyone.
“By optimizing staff, equipment, and space into one Emergency Department, HVCH is better positioned to respond to changing patient volumes while supporting long-term financial sustainability of the hospital. This approach aligns with best practices adopted by healthcare organizations nationwide and reflects the hospital’s adaptation to meet the needs of the community,” Gabriel explained.
“Our commitment has not changed; we are here to provide compassionate, high-quality care for our community, now and for years to come.”