In October 2022 Bruceton Family Medicine approached Mountain Laurel Medical Center to see if there was an opportunity to partner in a way that would add value and services to the Bruceton Mills Community. Bruceton Family Medicine shares many of the same attributes, mission, and core values of Mountain Laurel Medical Center, and both organizations saw the acquisition as an opportunity to expand healthcare services to Bruceton Mills and the surrounding communities.
After receiving approval from its Board of Directors in January of 2023, Mountain Laurel submitted a Change in Scope (CIS) to HRSA to allow Bruceton Family Medicine to become part of their Community Health Center practices. In April the Change in Scope was approved and since then Mountain Laurel Medical Center has been working to transition Bruceton Family Medicine to Mountain Laurel Medical Center-Bruceton.
The Bruceton practice already has two Nurse Practitioners, an onsite lab, and a clinical and administrative team. With this acquisition, the practice will benefit from many service enhancements including additional extended hours, the addition of a Medical Doctor, Behavioral Health Services, Nurse Care Coordination, a new electronic health record and patient portal, access to lower cost prescription medications, and other community resources. Once of the greatest benefits of the acquisition is that the practice will now be able to accept West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania Medicaid insurance, in addition to Medicare and most commercial insurances. For those who are uninsured, Mountain Laurel also offers insurance enrollment assistance and an income-based sliding fee scale.
“This will be Mountain Laurel Medical Center’s first practice site in West Virginia and we are excited for the opportunity to increase access to healthcare for Bruceton Mills and the surrounding communities,” said Chief Executive Officer Brian Bailey.
Mountain Laurel Medical Center-Bruceton is tentatively set to “go live” in August of 2023. Until then, the practice will continue operations as Bruceton Family Medicine. The practice is located at 198 Morgantown Street, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525. Mountain Laurel Medical Center is currently hiring for several positions for the Bruceton practice which can be found on their website: www.mtnlaurel.org/employment.
Mountain Laurel Medical Center is a community health center with four locations in Oakland, Grantsville, and Westernport, Maryland and Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. Their mission is to “provide the highest quality primary health care to the Community regardless of ability to pay”.