A Tennessee-based healthcare company, Braden Health, has acquired the long-vacant hospital property in Patrick County, with plans to reopen it as a full-service hospital featuring an emergency department.
The acquisition marks a significant step forward after years of delays and unmet promises from the previous owner, Foresight Health, which had purchased the property in 2022 but failed to deliver on plans to reopen the facility.
Foresight’s efforts ultimately came to a halt following embezzlement charges against its CEO.
Founded in 2008 as a consulting firm, Braden Health transitioned into acquiring rural hospitals in danger of closure starting in 2020.
Over the past four years, the company has reopened around 180 critical-access hospitals across the U.S., and the Patrick County facility will be its first project in Virginia.
Kyle Kopec, Braden Health's Chief Operating Officer, expressed excitement about the project: "We’re thrilled to bring a proven model to Virginia and get services up and running as quickly as possible," he said. In 2022, Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick County, sponsored legislation that maintained the hospital’s critical-access designation, which passed unanimously in the Virginia General Assembly and was signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
This license will allow the hospital to operate with 25 acute care beds, CT and X-ray capabilities, a surgery center, and an emergency room.
Residents of Patrick County, who have long advocated for an emergency department, are cautiously optimistic about the reopening.
Williams, a strong advocate for the hospital's revival, encouraged constituents to remain hopeful, noting the incentives available for rural hospitals from the federal government.
He also emphasized Braden Health’s commitment to making the project a success, after years of struggles under Foresight’s ownership.
Braden Health first became involved in the project in 2023, reaching out to Williams when Foresight’s plans began to falter.
Foresight had initially committed to renovating the property and reopening it as an emergency department, but after numerous delays, the company cited the high costs of operating in a rural area.
Foresight ultimately sold the property to a Chicago-based LLC, Wolf of Wabash, in March 2024, which had planned to lease the site back and use the proceeds for renovations, including a behavioral health and substance abuse program.
However, following the indictment of Foresight’s CEO on embezzlement charges, Wolf of Wabash put the property up for auction in September, and Braden Health purchased it shortly thereafter for $599,000.
The hospital, formerly known as Pioneer Community Hospital, closed in 2017 after filing for bankruptcy and has remained vacant since.
Braden Health has already begun assessing the building’s condition, and while Kopec noted the facility’s overall state isn’t the worst he has seen, significant work is required.
The biggest challenges include installing a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, updating the sewer system, and addressing mold and asbestos.
While Foresight Health had started the asbestos removal process, Kopec stated that there is no documentation to confirm its completion.
Construction crews are currently evaluating the building’s structural integrity, and Kopec said that in the coming weeks, the company will have a clearer timeline for the hospital’s reopening.
He expressed confidence in the project’s viability, noting that Braden Health has successfully managed hospitals in smaller communities with even fewer resources: "This is actually a very good target for us, based on our internal metrics," Kopec said.
Braden Health is committed to bringing essential medical services back to Patrick County, including much-needed emergency care, and is working quickly to restore the facility for the community’s benefit.
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