At least 13 hospitals and health systems have announced plans to shutter or consolidate services in just one month, with closures spanning emergency departments, maternity wards, pediatric units and behavioral health programs.
The cuts reflect mounting financial pressures and staffing shortages hitting facilities across the country, from rural West Virginia to suburban California. Obstetrics and labor and delivery services have taken a particular hit, with at least five systems pulling back on maternity care since early March.
Here are 13 hospitals and health systems who have announced plans to shutter services since March 6:
1. Lawrence, Mass.-based Merrimack Health shared plans to end maternity and neonatal services at its Methuen (Mass.) Hospital and consolidate them to its Lawrence Hospital, effective Aug. 1, pending state approval.
2. Albuquerque, N.M.-based Lovelace Health System’s Lovelace Medical Group closed its urgent care location in Taos, N.M.
3. Little Rock, Ark.-based Baptist Health plans to discontinue labor and delivery and obstetrics services at its Baptist Health-Fort Smith campus, effective April 28.
4. Fort Mill, S.C.-based Piedmont Medical Center plans to end obstetrics and labor and delivery services at one location and move them to another.
5. Mon Health Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital in Weston, W.Va., part of Vandalia Health, will end obstetrics delivery services effective May 1, citing challenges recruiting full-time clinical staff and declining birth rates in the region.
6. MercyOne Clinton (Iowa) Medical Center shared plans to transition labor and delivery services to other Iowa-based MercyOne birth centers in Davenport, Dubuque and Silvis.
7. As of March 27, Providence Santa Rosa (Calif.) Memorial Hospital will no longer admit patients to its inpatient pediatric unit.
8. Bradford (Pa.) Regional Medical Center, part of Buffalo, N.Y.-based Kaleida Health, submitted a closure notice to discontinue its inpatient and emergency services by May 17 amid ongoing financial challenges.
9. Jersey City, N.J.-based Hudson Regional Health suspended emergency department operations March 14 at Heights University Hospital, also in Jersey City, and is moving forward with a certificate of need for closure after sunsetting its other services in mid-November 2025.
10. Silverdale, Wash.-based St. Michael Medical Center plans to close its pediatric outpatient rehabilitation clinic April 24.
11. Gaithersburg, Md.-based Adventist HealthCare shared plans to close its Germantown (Md.) Emergency Center July 1, pending state approvals.
12. Oklahoma City-based Integris Health will close its Children’s Place childcare centers and Fun & Fit programs at two hospitals in August due to financial losses.13. Manchester, N.H.-based Catholic Medical Center ended outpatient behavioral health services in March.
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