Planned Changes Now In Effect For Guthrie Towanda Memorial Hospital
Guthrie announced today that Guthrie Towanda Memorial Hospital has completed its transition to become a campus of Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital and has become Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital, Towanda Campus. The transition was effective on January 1, 2021.
“Guthrie’s goal with this transition is to balance the needs of the Towanda community with the need for more flexibility regarding how we provide patient care,” said Paul VerValin, Guthrie Chief Operating Officer. “Working with regulatory agencies, Guthrie Towanda Memorial Hospital has merged under the license of Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital. This change allows us to optimize the use of resources and create synergies that will help to mitigate financial losses.”
Most services remain at the Towanda location, including the Emergency Department, Imaging Services, Lab Services, Outpatient Rehabilitation and Procedures, Ambulance Services and Infusion Services. The Personal Care Home and Skilled Nursing Facility also continue to operate as normal. “These are important services in Towanda and they will continue to be available locally to meet the health care needs of our community,” said VerValin.
While many services remain in Towanda following the transition, operating room services have shifted to Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital and Guthrie Troy Community Hospital. “Eliminating surgery at Robert Packer Hospital’s campus in Towanda allows us to more efficiently use available resources within the larger system and to support Guthrie’s overall surgery program,” VerValin explained.
Joseph Sawyer, President, Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital, now oversees operations at the Towanda campus as well.
“This is an exciting time for Robert Packer Hospital. This marks another major milestone in our long history, and I am very happy to welcome all the staff from the Towanda Campus to the Robert Packer Hospital family.” He added, “By bringing both Guthrie hospitals together we will continue to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve and strengthen our impact by delivering high quality health care and value.
As previously announced, Felissa Koernig, former President of Guthrie Towanda Memorial Hospital has now been named President of Guthrie Corning Hospital.
About 70 employees were impacted and are no longer based at the Towanda location. Most took the opportunity to be hired at other Guthrie facilities in Sayre or Troy.