Under the terms of this agreement, RGH will continue to be an independent community hospital.

“It’s exciting to see these long-anticipated plans coming to fruition,” said RGH chief executive officer James M. Holmes Jr. “This strengthened clinical collaboration is giving RGH access to additional specialists that are not usually available to small rural communities.”

A related public forum will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, February 2, at the RGH Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Center at 43 William B. Graham Court in Kilmarnock. Representatives from RGH and Bon Secours will answer questions from the community.

Positive advancements are already under way for RGH. Through the affiliation, RGH has already successfully secured increased local cardiology services, noted Holmes. Bon Secours and RGH are exploring ways to increase services related to dermatology, neurology, stroke therapy and orthopedics.

This agreement with Bon Secours, with facilities in Richmond and Hampton Roads, allows RGH to be part of a larger regional network while still remaining independent, said Holmes.

In a quickly changing health care environment, “It’s important to be connected to bigger systems,” he added. “We are pleased with the positive response from the community.”