Five hospital closures Becker’s has reported since Dec. 1:
1. Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network was forced to temporarily close its AHN Express Care East urgent care center in Harborcreek Township, Pa., due to a shortage of nurses. The health system has not given a date for the reopening of the clinic but hopes to open it in the “near future.”
2. Union Community Care’s New Holland (Pa.) Health Center closed temporarily because of an environmental systems malfunction that caused “significant water damage.” The incident happened Dec. 26. Union Community Care’s building is leased by York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health.
3. Cleveland-based University Hospitals’ Richmond Heights (Ohio) Medical Center closed its behavioral health unit, the last unit in operation at the hospital, on Dec. 17. The decision was driven by staff shortages.
4. Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Health closed its 226-bed hospital in Hammond, Ind., on Dec. 31. Barbara Anderson, interim president and CEO of Franciscan Health Hammond, Dyer and Munster, attributed the decision to close the hospital to low patient volumes.
5. In a move roiled with controversy, Marietta, Ga.-based Wellstar closed the Atlanta Medical Center on Nov. 1. The 460-bed safety-net hospital sat on 20 acres in an underserved area of Atlanta, and was one of only two Level 1 trauma centers in the city.
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