Virtual ICU Helps Rural West Virginia Hospital Avoid Closure

WVU Medicine's low-cost virtual care model boosts occupancy and revenue at Potomac Valley Hospital

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A virtual ICU program launched by WVU Medicine has helped save a small, rural hospital in West Virginia from closure. The program connects critical care physicians at WVU Medicine with care teams at Potomac Valley Hospital, allowing specialists to support local providers without requiring patients to leave their community. The collaborative model has quickly boosted the hospital's occupancy and revenue, with startup costs of just $5,400 compared to traditional eICU systems costing up to $1 million per bed.

Why it matters

Rural hospitals across the U.S. have faced growing financial pressures and challenges providing specialized care. This innovative virtual ICU model demonstrates how health systems can leverage technology to strengthen rural care teams and keep patients local, without requiring major investments. The success at Potomac Valley has prompted WVU Medicine to expand the program to seven additional rural hospitals.

The details

WVU Medicine's virtual ICU program connects critical care physicians at the academic medical center with care teams at Potomac Valley Hospital, a 20-bed critical access facility in rural West Virginia. Rather than replacing local clinicians, the virtual ICU physicians join daily patient rounds, working alongside the on-site team to provide specialized expertise. This collaborative approach allows Potomac Valley to retain more patients who might otherwise have been transferred to larger hospitals hours away, boosting the rural facility's occupancy and revenue.

  • Before the virtual ICU program launched, Potomac Valley Hospital averaged just 2 hospitalized patients per day.
  • Within 6 months of implementing the virtual ICU, Potomac Valley's occupancy climbed to more than 15 of its 20 beds.

The players

WVU Medicine

A health system based in Morgantown, West Virginia that includes Potomac Valley Hospital and launched the virtual ICU program.

Potomac Valley Hospital

A 20-bed critical access hospital in Keyser, West Virginia that was facing closure before implementing the virtual ICU program.

Allison Wilson, MD

Professor of surgery and executive director of the WVU Critical Care and Trauma Institute, who led the development of the virtual ICU program.

Mark Boucot

CEO of Potomac Valley Hospital, who credited the virtual ICU program with saving the small rural hospital.

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What they’re saying

“You saved our little hospital”

— Mark Boucot, CEO, Potomac Valley Hospital

“We round with your physicians not in place of but with your physicians. We see the patient with them every day through that week.”

— Allison Wilson, MD, Professor of Surgery and Executive Director, WVU Critical Care and Trauma Institute

What’s next

WVU Medicine leaders are exploring whether the virtual ICU model can also support trauma patients who may not need surgery but could benefit from specialist oversight without requiring transfer.

The takeaway

This innovative virtual ICU program demonstrates how health systems can leverage technology to strengthen rural care teams and keep patients local, without requiring major investments. The collaborative model has quickly boosted occupancy and revenue at Potomac Valley Hospital, prompting WVU Medicine to expand the program to seven additional rural facilities.