MOUNT GILEAD, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—OhioHealth and Morrow County Hospital have announced a significant development in their long-standing partnership. The Morrow County Hospital Board of Trustees and Morrow County Commissioners have voted to enter into a membership agreement that will integrate Morrow County Hospital as a full member of the OhioHealth system. This move is set to take effect in January 2025.
The decision comes after nearly four decades of OhioHealth managing Morrow County Hospital. The strengthened relationship is seen as a logical progression, given the shared culture and mission to keep care local.
Steve Markovich, MD, president and CEO of OhioHealth, expressed his excitement about the development. “We are excited to welcome Morrow County Hospital into the OhioHealth family,” he said. “We look forward to continuing to serve the Mt Gilead and Morrow County community for years to come.”
The membership agreement brings the 25-bed critical access hospital and its physicians and associates under the OhioHealth umbrella. This is a monumental decision for our County and our Hospital,” said Joe Dreyer, Morrow County Hospital Board of Trustees Chairman. “We put countless hours into making sure we did right by our community and Hospital employees, by keeping our Hospital and keeping health care local.”
Morrow County Commissioner Tim Siegfried, who also served as a member of the Negotiating Group, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the negotiations with OhioHealth. “We feel OhioHealth has proven their commitment to our County, and we look forward to the next chapter in our 40-year relationship,” he said.
In the past 19 months, OhioHealth has welcomed two hospitals – Southeastern Medical Center and Van Wert Hospital – and opened Pickerington Methodist Hospital. Morrow County Hospital will be the fourth addition in a two-year span, marking a significant expansion for the OhioHealth system.