CTCH Celebrates 50 Years!

Over the decades, CTCH has been a health and wellness partner to our patients in far southwest Virginia, offering comprehensive care from medical to therapy services. This past November, our teams there gathered to celebrate the hospital's 50th anniversary.

“Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital’s 50th anniversary symbolizes our commitment to the well-being of the community," said Alicia Bales, senior director, CTCH. "We are proud of the health care professionals that have served over the past 50 years and their profound impact on the community."

Historical Highlights

• 1973: CTCH opens on Nov. 26 as a 56-bed hospital that replaces Jeffersonville Hospital (which opened in 1947). The facility costs $2 million.
• 1973: Joseph “Joe” Farley is the first baby born in the new hospital, at 5 p.m. on Nov. 26.
• 1982: The first open-heart procedure is performed at the hospital.
• 1988: A $3.5 million expansion is completed in May, adding 17,000 square feet that includes 6 ICU beds, a new ER Department and new laboratory, an additional operating room, a Cardiopulmonary Department and an expanded Radiology Department.
• 1994: In May, an alliance is formed between Carilion, Tazewell Community Hospital and Bluefield Regional Medical Center to meet the health care needs of Tazewell and the surrounding rural region. It's the first time we offer managed care to patients in southwest Virginia.
• 1996: Outpatient specialty clinics expand to include Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Orthopaedics, Otolaryngology, Plastic Surgery, Podiatry and Pulmonary. 
• 1997: New radiography and fluoroscopy machines are installed. 
• 1997: The hospital receives Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) accreditation with commendation in Lab Services.
• 2008: In January, our offer of $15 million for Tazewell Community Hospital is approved by the Tazewell Community Hospital Board of Directors. Funds were contributed to the Tazewell Community Hospital Foundation.
• 2011: We announce an 18-month restructuring plan in January to strengthen and position CTCH for future growth. The plan includes establishing a combined Emergency Department and Hospitalists program, upgrading imaging services including a new CT scanner, an electronic picture archiving and communications system, and merging the ICU and medical-surgical unit. An investment of approximately $2 million in upgrades is planned.
• 2013: CTCH celebrates its 40th anniversary on Nov. 24. The first baby born at the hospital, Joseph Farley, attends the celebration.
• 2016: Renovations begin in September for a new Veterans' Affairs clinic at the hospital.
• 2023: Kristie Williams, R. N., is named one of Becker’s 67 critical access hospital CEOs to know.
• 2023: Carilion Clinic Family Medicine opens at Westwood Medical Park in Bluefield, VA, in September.

Awards and Community Recognition

CTCH and its teams have achieved many honors. A few recent recognitions include:

• Tazewell County Chamber of Commerce 2023 Healthcare Heroes Award
• Rated High Performing in COPD by US News & World Report
• Joint Commission accreditation
• Patient experience scores that rank higher than Virginia and national averages in all domains, based on the VHHA Patient Experience Dashboard

Plans for 2024

Some of our biggest plans for Tazewell in the coming year include:

• Expanding access to care virtually. Early in the year, our teams at CTCH will start by providing cardiology care, including stress echo services, through telemedicine.
• Continuing our partnership with Southwest Community Health’s New Day Recovery Services, which are provided on the CTCH campus.

More Information

For more information, visit the CTCH page.