WRC Senior Services Signs Definitive Agreement For Affiliation With Penn Highlands Healthcare
The Boards of Directors of both WRC Senior Services and Penn Highlands Healthcare have signed a Definitive Agreement between the two organizations that would integrate WRC Senior Services into the Penn Highlands Healthcare system.
The WRC Senior Services Board of Directors determined that Penn Highlands Healthcare would be a perfect partner to continue to provide care for seniors in the area.
The mission of Penn Highlands Healthcare is to provide exceptional care through its community-based health system. “At WRC, we offer a full continuum of senior living services by providing personalized care to better meet the needs of our residents” said Barbara Sepich, President/CEO of WRC. “Penn Highlands currently has two senior living communities, so they are very familiar with the senior living industry and what is best for aging adults, which is why we are excited for this affiliation.”
The affiliation with Penn Highlands Healthcare, anticipated to take effect in fall of this year, is designed to strengthen the delivery of healthcare services in the community and specifically to aging adults. The board’s key objectives that guided the search for a new partner included:
- continue the spirit of the mission, vision, and values of WRC Senior Services;
- maintain and expand key programs to WRC Senior Services residents;
- attract and retain high-quality staff members;
- preserve jobs in the area while providing competitive wages and benefits.
“Penn Highlands is committed to expand senior living care,” said Robert Ordiway, Chairman of the Penn Highlands Healthcare Board of Directors, “We are looking forward to the affiliation with WRC Senior Services as it will allow Penn Highlands Healthcare to better serve senior adults in Clarion, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson Counties.”
Bruce Pierson, Chair of the Board of Directors for WRC Senior Services, said, “Penn Highlands Healthcare not only knows community healthcare, but they know what aging adults need as they age. WRC Senior Services sees this affiliation to be a positive, not just to the organization and staff, but for the residents and their families, as well.”
“WRC Senior Services has a long history of caring for our seniors in our service area with strong values and a great vision, which is why we are excited for the opportunity to partner with them,” said CEO of Penn Highlands, Steven Fontaine.
The signing of the Definitive Agreement means that WRC Senior Services and Penn Highlands Healthcare have agreed to the terms and conditions of a prospective affiliation. Throughout the next several months, both parties will engage in additional due diligence, research, and discussions to facilitate a smooth integration of WRC Senior Services into Penn Highlands Healthcare once regulatory approval of the affiliation is secured.
About WRC Senior Services
The beginning of WRC Senior Services dates back to 1883. During this time, the Woman’s Relief Corp created a group of volunteers to provide care for those affected by the Civil War. This included disabled veterans, orphans, and widows.
Once gathered for their annual meeting in 1889, in Erie, Pennsylvania, former army nurse Kate Scott offered a proposal to open a home in Brookville to continue providing these services, and in1890, the first community, Pennsylvania Memorial Home, opened its doors.
Since WRC Senior Services inception, they have grown to provide a full continuum of care for their residents with facilities in Clarion, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson counties. WRC Senior Services is a non-profit organization, which makes it possible for us to focus on the needs of our residents instead of placing a focus on the bottom line like other facilities.
About Penn Highlands Healthcare
Penn Highlands Healthcare was officially formed on September 30, 2011, and is comprised of six hospitals – Penn Highlands Brookville, Penn Highlands Clearfield, Penn Highlands DuBois, Penn Highlands Elk, Penn Highlands Huntingdon, and Penn Highlands Tyrone that have served area communities for the past 100 years. Its business continuum also includes a home care agency, Penn Highlands Community Nurses; two long-term care facilities, Pinecrest Manor and Penn Highlands Jefferson Manor; and a senior residential living facility, Elco Glen.
Through this partnership, Penn Highlands Healthcare has evolved into an organization with approximately 4,700 workers in 120+ locations throughout 13 counties in North Central/Western Pennsylvania that include community medical buildings, outpatient facilities, surgery centers and physician practices.
Providing exceptional quality care to the region, it has 525 physicians and 281 advanced practice providers on staff. The facilities have a total of 815 inpatient and skilled nursing beds. The system offers a wide range of care and treatments with specialty units that care for cancer, cardiovascular/thoracic, neurosurgery, pulmonology, neonatal and high-risk pregnancy patients.
Being focused on what is important – patients and families – makes Penn Highlands Healthcare the best choice in the region. For more information, visit www.phhealthcare.org.