Under the plan, officials will close 50 of the hospital’s 98 inpatient beds — including all 40 medical/surgical beds and 10 intensive care beds — this fall. The remaining 48 inpatient beds will be reserved for psychiatric patients only. The hospital’s other services, including emergency, urgent care and outpatient services, will remain open.
Those in need of inpatient services will be directed to Melrose (Mass.)-Wakefield Hospital.
Hallmark Health President and CEO Alan Macdonald reportedly emailed employees and staff about the changes, stating the “limited number of patients coming to Lawrence Memorial Hospital for medical, surgical and intensive care” made providing inpatient services “financially unstable,” according to the report.
A spokesperson for Hallmark Health told The Boston Globe the health system “is making every effort to place [the 65 affected employees] within the Hallmark Health system.”
The health system previously announced 57 layoffs in November 2016.
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