FARRELL - Less than a week after the Shenango Valley was left reeling from the closure of Sharon Regional Medical Center, officials from another local health organization are telling the community they are available to help meet medical needs.
Dave Patton, president of UPMC Horizon and UPMC Jameson, and Dr. Jon Henwood, president of the medical staff, UPMC Horizon and UPMC Jameson, have released an open letter expressing what they say is the organization’s commitment to caring.
Noting UPMC’s investment in a regional care system serving Mercer and Lawrence counties, the letter says UPMC has strengthened local services through UPMC Horizon-Shenango Valley in Farrell, UPMC Horizon-Greenville, UPMC Jameson in New Castle, outpatient centers, as well as local physician practices.
UPMC hospitals operate 24-7 emergency departments, while UPMC Jameson provides around-the-clock interventional cardiology, according to Patton and Henwood.
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UPMC Magee-Womens has a labor and delivery unit at UPMC Horizon, supported by UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh specialists and a Level II neonatal intensive care unit in Mercer County.
The letter goes on to say that UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, and other programs serve the community.
More inpatient beds have been added at all three local UPMC hospitals, which have also expanded emergency department space and treatment areas. The letter says UPMC has enhanced robotic surgery capabilities, introduced advanced cardiac imaging, and invested in cancer care.
While a new UPMC Western Behavioral Health inpatient unit is under construction at UPMC Jameson, hospital officials say inpatient behavioral health is currently available at UPMC Northwest in Venango County.
This isn’t the first time UPMC has reached out to Sharon Regional patients. When Sharon Regional closed in early January of 2025 due to the bankruptcy of the previous owner, Steward Health, UPMC let the community know their services were available.
Many in the Shenango Valley felt like they had been thrown a lifeline in early 2025 when Tenor Health Foundation announced it would reopen Sharon Regional Hospital in March.
The honeymoon lasted for a little over a year before signs of trouble for Tenor appeared on the horizon.
This past June, doctors and a landscaping company sued Tenor, claiming, among other things, that they hadn’t been paid.
In August, 21 News reported that Tenor owed nearly $6 million in federal and Commonwealth tax liens. That figure did not include other unpaid debts from the hospital.
In September, hospital employees experienced the first of what would be a recurring problem of late paychecks. Earlier that same month, it was revealed that Sharon Regional Health had been evicted from an office in Hermitage.
Late last month, the members of the community realized that the late paychecks were signs of a bigger problem when 21 News reported that Penn Power was threatening to shut off Sharon Regional’s electricity because of a more than $638,000 unpaid bill.
On November 4, when Sharon Regional Medical Center closed its emergency department, owners blamed what they said was “an unexpected staff shortage.”
That same week, Sharon Regional suspended all of its hospital services, issuing the following statement:
“Sharon Regional Medical Center has suspended hospital services, as it undertakes a restructuring designed to establish a more sustainable, cost-effective clinical footprint focused on the services most needed by the community. The suspension includes broader acute care and outpatient operations, as well as emergency department services. We recognize the impact this has on our patients and employees, and we remain committed to working toward a sustainable path forward for Sharon Regional so that we can continue to support the community.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Health ultimately revoked the medical center's license and ordered its closure.
Although the revocation isn’t effective until November 17, the health department imposed a ban on admissions, effective last Wednesday, and suspended emergency department services, effective two days later.
The complete text of the UPMC letter is below:
Recent events in Mercer County have created understandable questions about where people can turn for care. We want our community to know: UPMC is here, and we remain deeply committed to caring for the people, families, friends, neighbors and loved ones who call this region home.
For years, UPMC has invested in a regional system of care that serves Mercer and Lawrence counties and beyond. That includes strengthening local services through UPMC Horizon-Shenango Valley in Farrell, UPMC Horizon-Greenville, UPMC Jameson in New Castle, outpatient centers and physician practices across the region. We’ve made substantial investments because we believe people deserve access to high-quality care close to home.
Our UPMC hospitals operate 24-7 emergency departments. UPMC Jameson provides around-the-clock interventional cardiology and is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as High Performing in Heart Attack Care. Families have access to a UPMC Magee-Womens labor and delivery unit at UPMC Horizon, supported by UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh specialists and a Level II neonatal intensive care unit within Mercer County. UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute and many other programs bring advanced services inside our local communities.
We have continued to expand capacity and services in response to changing community needs. In recent years, we have added more inpatient beds at all three UPMC hospitals in the region, expanded emergency department space and treatment areas in Mercer County, enhanced robotic surgery capabilities, introduced advanced cardiac imaging, invested in cancer care and continued expanding behavioral health services. A new UPMC Western Behavioral Health inpatient unit is under construction at UPMC Jameson. In the meantime, inpatient behavioral health is available across UPMC and locally at UPMC Northwest in Venango County, alongside outpatient services embedded in the community.
Just as important as facilities and services are the people who make care possible. Every day, we see our physicians, nurses, therapists, technicians, support staff and countless others step up to care for our communities with skill and compassion. As needs evolve, they continue to adapt and serve. We are incredibly grateful for their dedication, and we know our communities are stronger because of them.
Health care is about more than a single hospital. It is about having access to the right care at the right place at the right time. Through UPMC's network, people can receive much of the care they need close to home with seamless connection to highly advanced services when they are needed.
Quality matters. Safety matters. Experience matters. We are proud of the outcomes our teams create and the trust our communities place in us every day. We never take that trust for granted.
For health care professionals who share our commitment to serving this region: We are always hiring exceptional people to join our team as we invest in the future of health care. Position openings are updated daily at Careers.UPMC.com.
The needs of a community change over time. UPMC's commitment does not.
We will continue listening, investing, adapting and caring. Most importantly, we will continue being here for the communities we are privileged to serve.
Sincerely,
Dave Patton, President, UPMC Horizon and UPMC Jameson
Dr. Jon Henwood, President of the Medical Staff, UPMC Horizon and UPMC Jameson
