Leaders at Warren General Hospital say new partnerships and a recent federal designation are positioning the facility for a stronger financial future while helping address ongoing physician shortages in Warren County.

Rick Allen, retired Warren General Hospital CEO and campaign leader, and Dan Grolemund, Warren General Hospital CEO, presented the Warren General Hospital Capital Campaign’s progress to the City Council on Monday night.

They expressed optimism, pointing to collaboration with Allegheny Health Network and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) as key steps toward improving staffing and patient care.

Through its relationship with LECOM, the hospital hosts 16 third- and fourth-year medical students annually. Grolemund said the program is already helping recruitment efforts. One incoming physician previously trained at the hospital as a student and is now planning to relocate permanently to the area.

“We have challenges recruiting doctors, but this gives us exposure to those students,” Grolemund said.

The partnership with Allegheny Health Network also brings in physicians which staff both the hospital and its emergency department.

They also highlighted the hospital’s status as a federally designated critical access hospital, a change expected to significantly improve reimbursement rates. Previously, the hospital recovered about 64% of costs for patients on Medicare or Medicaid. With the new designation, administrators said the hospital will be fully reimbursed by the federal government for those cases.

The shift is projected to improve the hospital’s bottom line by nearly $4 million annually, funds that are critical for maintaining infrastructure and equipment.

The designation process took nearly two years to complete, requiring the hospital to meet strict federal criteria.

Meanwhile, the hospital’s capital campaign is continuing through early fall, with a target completion date in September. Organizers said the effort has already secured several major donations, including pledges at the naming level for facilities such as the Cancer Center.

Community outreach remains a major focus of the campaign, with hospital representatives presenting to local organizations and encouraging residents to contribute or help spread awareness.