Capito secures $2.45M for Weirton Medical Center emergency department expansion

WEIRTON - A long-planned project to expand the service capacity of the emergency department at WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center received a boost, this week, from one of West Virginia’s U.S. senators.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., announced Wednesday, the appropriation of $2.45 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for the hospital, with funds coming from the federal 2026 fiscal budget.

"This funding represents a significant investment in the health and well-being of West Virginians who live in the Northern Panhandle," Capito said in a statement announcing the funding. "By renovating and expanding this facility’s emergency department, more West Virginians will have access to essential services. I am proud to have helped secure this funding for the completion of this project, and I look forward to seeing the immense impact this investment will have on West Virginians for years to come."

The project initially was announced in November 2023, and is expected to break ground in the second quarter of 2027, according to hospital officials.

"We are grateful to Senator Shelley Moore Capito and her team for their support of this important investment in WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center. This funding will help make the major expansion and renovation of our Emergency Department possible, enhancing the emergency care we provide to our community for years to come," stated David Artman, president of CEO of the hospital.

According to Kelli McCoy, director of communications and marketing for WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center, the expansion is set to double the size of the current emergency department while investing in newer technology, providing more opportunity to improve and give faster patient care.

McCoy noted the current emergency area was built as part of the construction of Weirton Medical Center for its opening in 1978, and designed to accommodate emergency care for between 20,000 and 24,000 patients per year. Today, though, the hospital sees more than 40,000 patients come through the emergency department annually, showing a need for growth.

"A lot of people turn to us for emergency care, and it’s our responsibility to bring them the best," McCoy said. "This is us, working with our wonderful WVU Medicine team to make it happen for our community."

It’s not the only expansion planned for the hospital.

Earlier this year, WVU Medicine announced plans for the development of a new 17,000-square-foot cancer center on the Weirton campus, estimated at a cost of $20.1 million, to be affiliated with the WVU Cancer Institute.

It will bring radiation oncology to Weirton, allowing for growth in medical oncology services and the expansion of chemotherapy infusion services.

Previous updates include the relocation of the hospital’s laboratory and development of a new 6,000-square-foot Gastroenterology/Endoscopy suite near the operating room.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)