Kettering Health Network purchases Clark County clinic


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The Springfield News-Sun provides in-depth coverage of health care in Clark and Champaign counties, including recent stories on a new breast center at Ohio Valley Surgical Center and improvements in emergency room waiting times at Springfield Regional Medical Center.

By the numbers

$137,500: Purchase price for the Medway Medical Clinic

$107,000: Purchase price in 1993

1959: Year the clinic was built

Kettering Health Network has expanded into Clark County for the first time with its purchase of the Medway Medical Clinic.

The network’s Dayton Osteopathic Hospital purchased the building at 105 Sycamore St. in Medway for $137,500.

Dr. Edward Hubach, who has a family practice inside the building, is the tenant in the facility and will continue his practice there for now, said Elizabeth Long, a spokeswoman for the Kettering Health Network.

Hubach has treated patients at the clinic for more than 35 years, according to the Providence Medical Group website.

Beth Patak, manager of business development for Providence, said there are currently no plans to expand in Medway, but now that the clinic has been acquired, hospital officials could change their strategic plans.

The hospital agreed to purchase the medical facility from Hubach 12 years ago.

“It’s just now just coming to fruition because Dr. Hubach is changing his practice pattern,” Patak said.

The Kettering Health Network primarily has facilities in Montgomery County and also has locations in Greene, Preble and Butler counties.

Community Mercy Health Partners is the primary health care provider in Clark and Champaign counties.

“It’s not unusual for health systems to have locations in adjoining communities, just as we have physician offices in Xenia and Yellow Springs in Greene County,” said Dave Lamb, a spokesman for Community Mercy. “We are proud to be the primary health-care provider in Clark and Champaign counties. We have invested in our community with a new hospital, the latest technology and tremendous people, and we will continue to do so.”

Bryan Bucklew, president and CEO of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, said he hasn’t discussed the purchase of the medical facility with Kettering Health officials.

He also said he is unaware of whether the network has plans to expand further in Clark County, but said health care facilities are seeking to better provide care to Springfield and Clark County residents.

“In general there is a desire by a lot of people who provide health care services in Clark County — whether it’s Mercy, Dayton Children’s, Nationwide (Children’s) or Kettering to make sure that the people of Clark County and the Springfield area have access to quality health care services in their community so they don’t have to travel,” Bucklew said.

Horton Hobbs, vice president of economic development at the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, said interest in Clark County by a health network outside of the area isn’t unique as Nationwide Children’s and Dayton Children’s have expanded to the area in recent years.

But he said the purchase of one medical clinic by the Kettering network doesn’t mean the organization has future expansion plans.

“I would tend to say that, that one investment doesn’t necessarily equate to a trend. I think those decisions are market driven so as companies seek to grow market share they look for communities that meet their profile for whatever that may be and this may be one of those instances,” Hobbs said.

Long said she isn’t aware of future plans for the Kettering Health Network to expand further in Clark County.

“I don’t know of any plans at this time, but we’re always looking for opportunities to serve our community better. A big part of our health system is obviously not only the Kettering Physician Network physicians, but partnering with physicians throughout the community,” Long said.

“That continuum of care is really important to us so helping take care of that patient through all stages of whatever their health issues might be.”

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