2021 West Virginia Health Care Hall of Fame

The events of the past year have been a true testament to health care workers and the resilience they possess. West Virginia
Executive (WVE) magazine would like to offer its sincerest
appreciation and gratitude to all doctors, nurses, administrators, researchers and countless other health care professionals who have stepped up to fight the coronavirus pandemic while also balancing their regular responsibilities and obligations. All health care workers who strive to enhance the world around them, especially those within the Mountain State, deserve the highest praise, particularly in the age of COVID-19.

Why West Virginia?

In the wake of a global pandemic, many people are taking a hard look at what is most important. As some decide to move to less populated, rural areas, West Virginia Executive is here to answer the question, “Why West Virginia?”

Inside West Virginia’s Coronavirus Response

On March 16, 2020, Governor Jim Justice declared a state of emergency in West Virginia, just one day prior to the state’s first confirmed case of COVID-19. As case numbers continued to increase from there, Justice began to assemble a team to see the Mountain State through the unprecedented events unfolding each day. On March 26, 2020, Justice named Clay Marsh, M.D., vice president and executive dean for health sciences at West Virginia University (WVU), West Virginia’s coronavirus czar as part of his Joint Interagency Task Force.

Border State of Mind

West Virginia is home to a strong base of loyal residents who love their state and fight every day for its reputation and future. Still, despite feelings of camaraderie and kinship, the Mountain State is made up of regions with differing geographies, industries, cultures and opportunities, each operating independently to ensure its own success.

The Studio Approach

Nothing in the water surrounding Silicon Valley makes it the most innovative region in America. Ideas find their way to northern California because, more than anywhere, the people and the infrastructure facilitate their path to the market. However, there is no shortage of ingenuity or know-how in our own backyard. What is lacking is the belief and means to turn an unintended discovery or eureka moment into a product or service that can improve health care standards worldwide.

Connected Care

The coronavirus pandemic brought with it heightened attention to many of the disparities facing rural West Virginians, including the burden of traveling long distances to receive health care. It also brought new habits, such as social distancing and quarantining, to limit the virus’s spread—increasing overall acceptance and the level of importance placed on bringing telehealth services to the Mountain State.