Patients, neighbors excited for new hospital in Greene County; say current facility needed upgrades

XENIA — Xenia residents are preparing for a new hospital and will be moving on from Greene Memorial as Kettering Health plans for a new multi-million medical center.

Kettering Health announced on Tuesday that it would be replacing Kettering Health Greene Memorial with a new $44 million medical center, Kettering Health Xenia.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Kettering Health announces plans for new medical center in Greene County

“It’s exciting to upgrade,” Chris Peterson, a Greene Memorial patient, said.

Peterson said she thinks Greene Memorial is outdated.

“It just seems older and a lot of hospitals update more regularly and it’s probably been a while for this one,” she said.

As shown on News Center 7 at 5:30, another Xenia resident said she felt more confident in another hospital.

“It just didn’t seem like it was up to the standards that it should be,” Nicole Cooke said. “So that’s why we always kind of choose to go a different route.”

The news of Kettering Health’s new plan came a week after Xenia city officials offered to acquire Greene Memorial from the healthcare network.

In a statement, City Manager Brent Merrimen said the city “does not support this approach and sees this move for what it is—a further reduction in services that will force our residents to seek basic healthcare outside of Greene County and displace current Greene Memorial Hospital employees.”

>> RELATED: City responds to Kettering Health Network’s plans for new health center in Greene County

“The Xenia City Council will continue to fight for improved care, seeking partnerships with healthcare providers that are truly committed to the best interests of patients,” he said.

Kettering Health told News Center 7 that it will continue conversations with the City of Xenia and will be listening to its patients.

“We will continue to do that research in listening to the community and be able to respond back with an answer of what the patient population is telling us they need,” Daniel Tryon, President of Kettering Health Greene Memorial, said.

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