Here are five things to know about the transition.
1. OhioHealth had planned to keep the ED open until the new OhioHealth Nelsonville Health Center is built and opens in the fall of 2016.
2. However, due to the continuing decrease in patient volume, and the decrease in patients who need full-service ED care when urgent care would be the better option, OhioHealth has decided to transition earlier, said Mark Seckinger, president of OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital in Athens, Ohio, and the Nelsonville facility, according to the report.
3. Instead of waiting until next fall, OhioHealth will now open a new urgent care center in Nelsonville on Jan. 6, 2016, prompting an earlier closure of the ED.
4. The closing of the ED will result in the planned elimination of 38 job positions, some of which are part-time or filled as needed, as well as the elimination of emergency services at OhioHealth Nelsonville Medical and Emergency Services, according to The Athens NEWS.
5. OhioHealth plans to work with employees whose positions will be eliminated to find “new or cross-campus roles” for the employees.
More articles on capacity management:
9 things to know about the new Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center
Mississippi hospital campus to close as services consolidate
Blythedale Children’s Hospital gifted $8M for new pediatric long-term care unit
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.