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Another big step in Steubenville’s continued growth was recognized Monday, when a community celebration officially welcomed UPMC Trinity.
It was an opportunity hear from UPMC’s top officials -- President and CEO Leslie Davis and board Chair John Surma were among the speakers -- and it was a chance to confirm that while the name outside of the facilities had changed, the commitment to the area would not change and would, in fact, become larger.
“Listening to the speakers today, it is clear that this transition is a testament to our history, To the sisters who built our foundation to the families who have trusted us for generations and to every one of you who shows up every day to provide life-changing care,” Dwayne Richardson, the interim president of UPMC Trinity said near the end of the presentation. “We are not just changing a sign -- we are officially joining a legacy of innovation and excellence.”
Monday’s event was held in the lobby of the Johnson Road complex that is now UPMC Steubenville, was the latest change to health care in our portion of the Tri-State Area. It came a little more than a year after reports first revealed that UPMC and CommonSpirit Health had been in active talks about the sale of Trinity and about 22 months after Weirton Medical Center officially became a part of the WVU Medicine system.
It also officially marked the Pittsburgh-based health care provider’s first expansion into Ohio, adding the facilities and medical professionals who serve the former Trinity’s 200,000 patients throughout the region. That stretches west to UPMC Twin City, which serves the areas surrounding Dennison and Uhrichsville.
“Trinity Health System is a staple in our community. It’s something that we depend on every day, for the care of our community members, the jobs they provide and the community service that benefits our area,” state Rep. Jodi Salvo, R-Bolivar, said.
“I’m excited about the opportunities that joining UPMC will bring, connecting UPMC’s expertise and resources with the local care of our communities that they depend on every day to help strengthen the health care around our region,” she added.
For Steubenville, it’s another step forward and comes during an exciting period for the city. Growth and expansion is actually happening -- it’s no longer just being talked about. Franciscan Square continues to expand, with this summer’s addition of four restaurants to the complex that sits along University Boulevard.
Just a little bit farther down the street, Franciscan University of Steubenville’s new residence hall complex is really starting to take shape. When it opens in August, it will accommodate about 400 students and will feature separate sides for men and women with a central commons area in the middle.
At its top, there will be a ramp connecting the building with the school’s upper campus. That will not only make it easier for students living there to reach classes -- it will make it easier for students and staff on that upper campus to reach the Franciscan Square area.
Downtown, the corner of Fourth and Market streets -- a place in the past where friends and neighbors once would meet up during trips downtown -- will soon take a new look with the projected August opening of the Oyo Brewing Co.
The College of St. Joseph the Worker, meanwhile, continues to work downtown, renovating buildings and looking to improve the look of the area. And, Youngstown State University is so confident in the future of the community that it has opened a campus in the city.
That’s why Steubenville Mayor Ralph Petrella called UPMC’s purchase of Trinity a pivotal moment in the history of Steubenville.
“We are here to mark the beginning of a new chapter, one defined by partnerships, progress and a shared vision for the future of Steubenville,” Petrella said while speaking Monday. “We are here to mark the beginning of a new chapter, one defined by partnerships, progress and a shared vision of the future of Steubenville. It represents a great opportunity for Steubenville to represent to grow and develop.
“We are a city that refuses to stand still -- we are a city that looks forward,” he continued. “By aligning ourselves with a health care system of this caliber, we are assured that our community is vibrant, resilient and ready to meet the challenges for coming decades. Steubenville was built on a proud history and clear vision for its future.”
That future, Petrella added will be one where health care and education will continue to have big roles.
“We’re building an ecosystem where education and medical excellence go hand-in-hand to improve our quality of life,” he added. “I’m particularly excited about the specific services that will be enhanced in this transaction. We know that the health of a city is measured by how it cares for its most vulnerable. The commitment UPMC is making to expand and elevate women’s and children’s health services is engaging. That means families in Steubenville will have access to top-tier care right here and will no longer have to travel to get the support they need and deserve.”
That’s what UPMC sees for the region.
“That’s the vision, making exceptional care easier to access for more people, and we can do that by putting our strengths together, whether it’s our UPMC hospitals, our physicians, our health plan, our technology, our expertise -- keeping care local, connected, personal, affordable and sustainable,” Davis said.
“Now, our commitment won’t stop at the doors of our hospitals and clinics,” she added. “We’re looking forward to working with our community and government leaders, by strengthening these existing relationships and building new ones, to improve the health and support the care in the Ohio Valley.”
For more than 125 years, Steubenville residents have been able to access hospital care through what has grown into UPMC Trinity, from Gill Memorial Hospital and Ohio Valley Hospital to St. John Hospital, St. John Medical Center and, beginning in 1996, Trinity Health System. For much of that time, the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania ensured the region received quality health care.
The sisters are gone, having transferred their sponsorship in 2014, but their legacy of service to the community will continue through UPMC Trinity.
“We are honoring our past by securing our future,” Richardson said.
(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is senior writer of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times)