As legacy UPMC teams embark to collaborate with new UPMC Washington and UPMC Greene colleagues, we reflect on the life-changing benefits of UPMC’s newest affiliation.
It Preserves Health Care Access
In June of 2023, the Boards of Directors of Washington Health System (WHS) and UPMC announced an affiliation agreement that would integrate WHS into UPMC.
WHS staff, patients, community stakeholders and elected officials reinforced the necessity for Washington Health System to affiliate with UPMC as soon as possible. A statement by JoJo Burgess, mayor of Washington, says it all: “Without UPMC, Washington Health System will close.”
One year later, the affiliation is official, ensuring a future of excellent patient care for residents of Washington, Greene and surrounding counties.
It Builds Upon Needed, Life-Saving Services
A recent story in the Washington Observer-Reporter highlights a patient of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Washington, a longstanding joint venture between WHS and UPMC. A special clinical trial was brought to her, right within her community, and it changed her life.
Clinical collaborations between WHS and UPMC for oncology (UPMC Hillman Cancer Center joint venture), pediatric specialties (UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh), women’s health (UPMC Magee-Womens) and heart and vascular care (UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute), have been in place for more than a decade — providing care for more than 10,000 patients annually.
With UPMC Greene and UPMC Washington, UPMC will continue to advance needed services, close to home, to ensure people-focused health for even more residents across Southwest Pa.
It Ensures a Strong, Healthy Future
Growth drives innovation. Without growth, an organization risks becoming complacent.
As UPMC delivers on its foundational priorities to enhance access to people-focused health, deliver high-quality and high-value health care, lead through innovation and accelerate growth and diversification, it will continue to be recognized as one of the best health systems in the nation — a provider of choice, and an employer of choice.
When demand for UPMC’s services increases, we prioritize, and we respond to the needs of the community.
With UPMC Washington and UPMC Greene, we will continue to be a catalyst and driver of economic impact — caring for more people, in more places, across the communities we serve.
