WVU Medicine United Hospital Center Cuts Ribbon on New $48 Million Project to Expand Area Healthcare
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on February 10, 2026
WVU Medicine United Hospital Center (UHC) is once again making healthcare more accessible in central West Virginia with the outlay of a new, 48,000 square foot, two-story outpatient surgery center, which will be located on three acres adjacent to the hospital.
“The outpatient surgery center will better position UHC to improve access to world-class surgery care and enhance surgical capacity for more complex cases," said David F. Hess, MD, UHC president and CEO. "Post-COVID, UHC has seen tremendous surgical growth, andwith the new state-of-the-art surgical center we will be able to accommodate higher volumes of low-risk outpatient procedures.”
The $48 million facility is UHC’s latest investment in the central West Virginia region, as it will include eight operating rooms with robotic capabilities, pre-and post-op recovery areas, same-day total joint replacement capabilities, and shelled space for future growth. The operating rooms will be orthopaedic-focused but will also be able to accommodate other specialties.
“Outpatient surgical volume has been an important driver of UHC’s overall success,” said Jeff Barger, UHC board chairman, West Virginia University Health System board member. “The new surgery center will serve to ensure that UHC continues to recruit elite surgeons.”
The completed center will allow for future orthopedic and spine office expansion, with a possible physical connector to the main hospital. The center will complement the full range of surgical services currently offered, reinforcing UHC’s dedication to delivering comprehensive care. Target completion date will be 2027.
Click HERE for a story that ran on Connect-Bridgeport in January when work began after the permits were filed with the city.
Editor's Note: Photo shows at top officials at the ceremonial groundbreaking. Bottom photo is an architectural rendering of the facility. In the middle, earth is being moved to prep the site in early January.
