Becker’s has reported on three hospital closures in the last month, and ASCs may feel the ripple effects as displaced patients and providers seek alternative sites of care and hospitals restructure their outpatient strategies.
Here are the three hospital closures:
1. Northern Light Inland Hospital: Waterville, Maine
Northern Light Inland Hospital officially closed on May 27, concluding a phased wind-down that began earlier this year. Northern Light Health cited rising operational costs, low reimbursement rates and a tight labor market as key factors in the decision.
2. Lawrence Medical Center: Moulton, Ala.
Lawrence Medical Center, a 98-bed facility and affiliate of Huntsville Hospital Health System, permanently closed its emergency department on May 23. The hospital had already ended inpatient services and was operating as a freestanding ED. The closure is part of a plan to transition the hospital to an outpatient-only facility ahead of a new 40-year lease that will give Huntsville Hospital Health full control.
3. Crozer-Chester Medical Center: Upland, Pa.
Crozer Health closed Crozer-Chester Medical Center on May 2, just one week after shuttering Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Pa. The closures followed failed efforts to save the struggling system, formerly operated by Prospect Medical Holdings. More than 2,600 employees were laid off as the system ceased operations.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.