5/13/2026
NEW CASTLE, Pa. – Since joining UPMC in 2016, UPMC Jameson has become a regional health care destination for advanced medical, surgical and specialty services. What was once a hospital at risk of closure, before its UPMC affiliation, is now an essential part of a coordinated regional network delivering advanced care across Lawrence, Mercer and surrounding communities.
Across Lawrence and Mercer counties, UPMC delivers a thoughtfully designed model of care with three hospital campuses: UPMC Jameson in New Castle, UPMC Horizon-Shenango Valley in Farrell, and UPMC Horizon-Greenville in Greenville. The UPMC hospitals are bolstered by a coordinated network of outpatient and specialty services. Together, these sites function as a unified regional care delivery system with centers of excellence that bring advanced care closer to home.
“In 2016, our community made a decision to secure the future of its hospital,” said Dave Patton, president, UPMC Jameson and UPMC Horizon, and Lawrence County native. “Ten years later, we’ve built something even stronger — a system of care that delivers advanced services locally. We connect people to UPMC’s full capabilities and deliver nationally recognized, high-quality health care that improves health outcomes for people in our region.”
From Risk of Closure to Regional Strength
In 2014, Jameson Health System signed a letter of intent to merge with UPMC. But the transaction was delayed for more than a year following legal challenges from the office of then-Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane and a required national rebid. During that time, the hospital faced significant financial pressure and was at serious risk of closure, leading to the loss of key services.
No other bidder matched the level of commitment, investment and long-term vision of UPMC. Following extensive community advocacy and a competitive review process, an independent arbiter determined that UPMC was uniquely positioned to preserve and strengthen health care in the region, and the affiliation was approved and finalized on May 1, 2016.
Designing Care Around Community Needs
Since integration, UPMC has redesigned and improved care delivery across Lawrence and Mercer counties — intentionally building high-volume, high-quality programs that allow people to receive advanced treatment close to home.
In Lawrence County, UPMC Jameson has become a destination for advanced cardiac care, supported by:
- A 24/7 interventional cardiac catheterization program
- A robust UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute built in New Castle, including expert subspecialties, such as electrophysiology
- Local access to complex cardiac and vascular consultations with advanced interventions delivered from within the region
- Regional intensive care access that now includes patients transported to UPMC Jameson for life-saving care
In Mercer County, UPMC Horizon-Shenango Valley has become a regional destination for women’s health and maternity services through The Birth Place at UPMC Horizon. UPMC Horizon teams deliver nearly 1,100 births annually and are fully staffed with board-certified obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) physicians, labor and delivery nurses, certified nurse midwives, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh neonatology providers and board-certified anesthesiologists. UPMC’s labor and delivery services in Farrell also include a Level II nursery and real-time access to specialty care through telemedicine connection with UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital and UPMC Children’s, supporting maternal-fetal medicine and neonatology, including virtual rounds for newborn care.
Across the region, cancer care has expanded through substantial investment with nationally recognized UPMC Hillman Cancer Center locations in New Castle, Farrell and Greenville. Medical oncology is available in each community with advanced radiation oncology — including stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) — offered at UPMC Hillman at UPMC Horizon-Shenango Valley. These investments mean people can receive advanced, more precise treatments in fewer visits, supported by experienced care teams close to where they live.
“We’ve made deliberate decisions to meet the defined health needs of this community,” said Patton. “Our care teams provide advanced, high-quality care close to home — doing work that matters with people who care about the patients and families they serve.”
Investing in People, Services and the Future
Over the past decade, UPMC has invested more than $200 million in capital improvements across facilities in Lawrence and Mercer counties — far exceeding 10-year commitments outlined in the original agreement with Jameson Health System. These investments have expanded surgical capacity, strengthened inpatient medical and emergency care, modernized facilities including full-hospital renovations and introduced advanced technologies such as robotic-assisted surgery, while also supporting physician recruitment and enhancing critical care capabilities.
Equally important, UPMC has strengthened the clinical workforce and provider pipeline. Through its ability to recruit and retain high-quality physicians and advanced practice providers, UPMC has expanded access to specialty care that was not previously available in the Lawrence-Mercer region.
“Physician recruitment is a key differentiator,” Patton said. “UPMC allows us to attract and retain highly skilled physicians who want to do meaningful work, grow in their careers and be part of a team that’s committed to improving care for this community.”
UPMC now employs nearly 3,000 team members across its hospitals and outpatient locations in Lawrence and Mercer counties, reflecting continued investment in employees through enhanced benefits, competitive wages and expanded opportunities for education and career growth.
That approach includes strategic investments in new access points, such as the UPMC Outpatient Center at Westgate Plaza in Union Township, which expands access to primary care, specialty care and diagnostic services in Lawrence County, while also supporting the growth of the UPMC Horizon Family Medicine Residency Program. Horizon’s residency program has doubled in scope with medical resident physicians now caring for people in Mercer and Lawrence counties.
UPMC also expanded access to specialized pediatric care by bringing UPMC Children’s Rehabilitation Therapies to UPMC Jameson, providing local families access to advanced pediatric physical and speech therapy delivered by UPMC Children’s clinical experts.
UPMC Western Behavioral Health services have expanded significantly in response to growing community need, including the addition of adult behavioral health intensive outpatient (IOP) and partial hospitalization (PHP) programs in New Castle — providing critical access to structured, high-quality behavioral health care. These services are complemented by the planned opening of a new UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital adult inpatient behavioral health unit within UPMC Jameson, currently under construction.
“These investments, combined with UPMC’s clinical standards and benchmarking, have contributed to measurable improvements in the quality and consistency of care delivered across the region,” said Patton.
Fueling the Pipeline of Health Care Teams
UPMC continues to invest in the next generation of caregivers through the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing and the UPMC Jameson School of Radiography, both playing a critical role in building a sustainable workforce for the region. Since joining UPMC, the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing has grown significantly — from 16 graduates in 2016 to more than 70 in 2025-26, with most choosing to begin their careers at UPMC.
This growth has been supported by program expansion, including the addition of a second annual cohort, a new LPN-to-RN pathway, and a partnership with Westminster College that enables students to pursue a BSN. Combined with UPMC’s tuition forgiveness program, these efforts are strengthening the local pipeline of nurses and helping ensure high-quality care remains available close to home.
Delivering Impact Locally
Last year alone, UPMC provided $44 million in charity care, health and wellness programs and direct community support across the region.
“This affiliation was about more than preserving access to care — it was about building a stronger, more sustainable future for health care in this region,” said Frank Mendicino, UPMC Jameson and UPMC Horizon board chair. “Over the past decade, UPMC has continued to invest beyond its initial commitments, strengthening services, supporting our workforce and ensuring our communities have access to high-quality care close to home.”
A Decade of Progress — and a Foundation for the Future
“Ten years after joining UPMC, the impact is clear: stronger services, expanded access, advanced care close to home and a more sustainable future for health care in Lawrence and Mercer counties,” said Patton.
“None of this happens without our people,” he added. “Our teams provide safe, high-quality, advanced care that is tailored to the precise health needs of this community. From routine care to life-saving interventions, our community has local access to the care they need — right here at UPMC.”
Photos (click to view high-resolution image)
First Photo
Caption: UPMC Jameson Campus
Credit: UPMC
Second Photo
Caption: UPMC Jameson staff and community members gathered at Tuesday's celebration
Credit: UPMC
