OH Pulse – January 12, 2026
2026 | Issue 2 – Expansion • Partnerships • Leadership • Maternity
Trendline Health | OH Pulse | 2026 | Issue 2
Growth & Finance
University Hospitals launches UH AirMed base in Ashtabula County
UH AirMed opened its third 24/7 helicopter base at Northeast Ohio Regional Airport in Jefferson, significantly shortening critical care response times in Ashtabula County and joining existing bases in Geauga and Medina counties.
”The addition of UH AirMed in Ashtabula County reflects a strong commitment to meeting the emergency medical needs of this community, because when lives are on the line, every minute matters.” –Daniel Ellenberger, Director, UH Critical Care Transport
OhioHealth acquires 130,583 sq ft Mill Run Innovation Center in Hilliard for $23 million
OhioHealth purchased the newly built industrial facility and 10 acres for non-clinical support space, with final use plans expected to be finalized in early 2026.
Partnerships & Integration
Mercy Health welcomes Ohio Valley Surgical Hospital as network partner in Springfield
Effective November 7, 2025, Ohio Valley Surgical Hospital and Medical Group joined Mercy Health’s Springfield network, promising enhanced resources and care coordination while maintaining current operations and branding.
Urbana Daily CitizenOhio State primary care clinicians join Mercy Health Select ACO
Starting January 1, 2026, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center primary care providers joined the Mercy Health Select ACO, which generated $85.3 million in Medicare savings in 2024 — its strongest performance since 2011.
Becker’s Hospital ReviewIntegrated Services for Behavioral Health and Fairfield Community Health Center announce merger
Effective January 1, 2026, ISBH and FCHC united under single leadership (CEO Samantha Shafer) to deliver whole-person behavioral + primary care across Southeast and Central Ohio, serving over 17,000 individuals annually with a combined workforce of ~900.
Times Gazette / ISBHKobacker House moves to Ohio’s Hospice in landmark nonprofit hospice partnership
After 35 years, central Ohio’s pioneering inpatient hospice Kobacker House is transitioning under Ohio’s Hospice (with initial operations at OSU Wexner Medical Center), guided by the newly published “The Kobacker Way” charter and plans for a future freestanding facility.
”For 35 years our family has held one conviction above all: how a community cares for its dying is the truest measure of its soul.“ –Alfred Kobacker
Ohio Valley Surgical Hospital becomes Mercy Health network partner (Springfield)
The Springfield surgical hospital joined Mercy Health on November 7, 2025 with no immediate operational changes and a focus on expanded collaboration and resource access.
Becker’s Hospital Review
Innovation & Tech
Orthopedic advances reshape care across Columbus health systems
Outpatient joint replacements, robotic-assisted knee/hip/shoulder procedures, 3D-printed oncology solutions, spinal tethering for scoliosis, and specialized gait & motion labs at Nationwide Children’s, OhioHealth, and Ohio State are dramatically improving precision, recovery speed, and pediatric outcomes.
”It allows patients to have kind of a single-shop day. It’s really a complete package.” –Dr. Kevin Klingele, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery, Nationwide Children’s
Workforce & Leadership
Memorial Health CEO Chip Hubbs to retire in January 2027
After leading major growth projects including the upcoming Memorial Jerome Medical Center and a $56 million ED renovation (partly funded by his family’s $500,000 gift), Hubbs will hand the reins to current EVP Spence Fisher.
Becker’s Hospital ReviewOhioHealth CHRO Tristan Hall on what culture really means in uncertain times
Hall emphasizes that culture shows up in small leadership moments — honesty, presence, steadiness, and dignity — far more than in slide decks or value statements.
“Pressure does not change culture. It reveals it.” –Tristan Hall, OhioHealth CHRO
Facilities & Patient Experience
Ohio State University Hospital (26-story, 820-room tower) prepares to open February 22, 2026
The largest single-facility hospital project opening in the U.S. in 2026 features all-private rooms with 9-ft windows, smart screens displaying care-team names, direct Labor & Delivery elevator access, 400-seat café, 20,000 sq ft outdoor terrace, and capacity to grow births from ~5,500 to 7,000 annually.
Ohio State Health & DiscoveryOhio State’s new maternity care design prioritizes comfort, bonding, and high-risk families
All-private postpartum & NICU rooms, family gathering spaces, dine-on-demand food, walk-in showers, secluded bereavement rooms, and co-management of high-risk pregnancies by midwives and maternal-fetal medicine specialists aim to make the experience restorative rather than clinical.
Ohio State Health & Discovery – Women’s Health
Sources: Linked above
Have feedback, story ideas, or want to share an Ohio healthcare development? Reply to this email or reach out → ohpulse@trendlinehealth.com
Not subscribed yet? Subscribe to OH Pulse – weekly Ohio healthcare intelligence delivered to your inbox