POINT PLEASANT — Pleasant Valley Hospital has undergone several changes over the past year, including new additions to the facility.

The hospital is now changing once again. On Thursday, PVH issued a release confirming that the hospital’s current chief executive officer, Alvin R. Lawson, JD, FACHE, will be leaving as he has accepted another job.

Lawson’s new position is the CEO of HealthSouth Western Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, located in Parkersburg. Lawson will begin work at HealthSouth in October. According to a news release, Lawson notified the PVH Board of Trustees several months ago and said that he would be leaving the hospital in order to pursue other professional opportunities.

“I wanted to give the board members enough time to recruit my replacement and I anticipate they will make an announcement in the near future,” Lawson said in a news release. “I also would like to thank the board of trustees for all they do for the hospital and the community...It has been a great eight year period, full of challenges and growth for PVH.”

Under Lawson, PVH has experienced several positive changes, including the renovation of the hospital’s clinical areas and the construction of a covered entry-way to the facility. Other changes and updates made during Lawson’s time at PVH include: the establishment of the PVH Medical Center, which consists of eight physician offices; employees and physicians achieved a 90 percent rating on customer satisfaction surveys; the hospital has now invested more than $20 million in facilities; the hospital has made $11.6 million in the past eight years; and the hospital has now increased net revenue by 54 percent and increased outpatient volume by 89 percent. In addition, PVH currently has more cash on hand than it has ever had, and the hospital’s employee turnover rate is below the national average.

Lawson credited the staff at PVH for making all of these changes possible.

“The main achievement during this time frame was that the employees and physicians have made PVH competitive in the market place,” he said in a news release. “There will always be challenges, but with vision and leadership those challenges can be met.”