Two hundred years ago, White Sulphur Springs, WV, became a destination for wealthy travelers who sought to harness the medicinal reputation of the area’s natural sulphur water spring to treat a variety of health ailments. The spring eventually became the centerpiece of The Greenbrier, a Five Diamond luxury resort that is about to be complemented by a sprawling, multi-million dollar addition to be called The Greenbrier Medical Institute. 

Described as a “forward-thinking medical initiative” poised to “dramatically impact how healthcare is delivered around the world,” the concept for the endeavor was developed by Jim Justice, chairman and owner of The Greenbrier, along with physicians Dr. James Andrews, Michael Immel, orthopedic practice management consultant, and healthcare developer Jack Diamond. Dr. E. Gaylon McCollough, an internationally recognized surgeon and teacher in the cosmetic surgery field, is also part of the team.
 
For Mr. Justice, who bought the 6750-acre resort in 2009, the decision to create the Institute was both practical and emotional. “Over 200 years ago, people came here to improve their health; soaking in the sulphur water, using hollowed-out trees for bathtubs. That’s how The Greenbrier was born,” he commented. “Now, we are redefining healthcare with the expertise of these highly regarded professionals, a state-of-the-art medical facility and forum for research and education. And we are doing it right here in West Virginia. How exciting is that?”
 
According to the planners, the goal of the Institute will be to “establish a medical mecca with numerous components including sports performance, wellness, research, product development, education, cosmetic surgery, preventive care and other specialties.” At the same time, they wanted a place that would attract the best physicians and healthcare professionals in the world, with the hope of creating a “think tank of global proportions.”
 
The current Greenbrier Clinic was the nation’s first executive health program when it opened in 1948. Its existing team of nine physicians will grow to approximately 525 individuals when the Institute is completed.
 
The Greenbrier Medical Institute is to be built in phases. Expected to cost an estimated $250 million, the first phase will include the construction of five buildings including a relocated and expanded Greenbrier Clinic, a Jim Andrews sports medicine center, a cosmetic surgery and lifestyle enhancement academy, a sports performance and training facility and a boutique hotel with 20 VIP suites.
 
One component of the Institute will be a sports medicine center, led by Dr. Andrews. “This will be a comprehensive diagnostic and clinical orthopedic sports medicine complex combined with a sports enhancement and training facility,” explained Dr. Andrews. “This Institute is a unique combination of the world’s leading physicians and healthcare experts coming together and acting as a ‘think tank’ to stimulate medical research, drive innovation, force change and redefine how the world and individuals approach health, wellness and longevity.”
 
The Institute’s sports medicine center will also feature a neurological (brain and spine) component focused on the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of neurological impact injuries (concussion) and sports related spine injuries—a feature the planners said will be “the first of its kind and, when affiliated with the sports medicine component, will provide a range of sports injury/performance related services that will be unparalleled anywhere in the world.” The center will also serve to provide leaders in the neurological sports medicine profession a format for collaboration, research and innovation in this rapidly advancing field.
 
In addition, the planners reported ongoing discussions with the WVU Health Sciences Center, along with the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. “These relationships will prove greatly beneficial to these institutions as well as The Greenbrier Medical Institute,” they said in a press release.
 
The Institute’s total body approach will also include full-body rejuvenation and appearance enhancement as other facets of care. According to the planners, the center’s cosmetic and reconstructive surgeons will be tasked with not only improving the way patients look, but how they see, and care for, themselves. “People who do the things that are required to look their best tend to find better health,” stated Dr. McCollough. “Once patients understand how appearance, health, and performance are interconnected, they will be eager to work with other Institute professionals in order to lose unwanted fat, build muscle, become more physically and mentally fit, improve endurance and feel more confident in taking on challenges which unhappy and unhealthy people see as impossible.”
 
The Greenbrier Medical Institute complex, designed by architect Willie Stokes, will feature classic Georgian architecture similar to the resort’s façade. A replica of the Springhouse, the site of the property’s sulphur springs, will be incorporated into the facility.