Grand Forks, N.D.-based Altru Health System will discontinue its home health services Sept. 1, citing regulatory pressures.
“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to discontinue home health services on September 1,” an Altru spokesperson said in a statement provided to Becker’s. “Evolving regulatory standards have been a burden for this type of care, which has led to many home health agencies closing over the past few years.”
All patients have been informed of the closure, and the health system is helping transition them to other agencies in the community, the spokesperson said.
“While we are closing home health, we will continue to offer other home-based programs such as therapy, remote monitoring and medical home visit programs,” the system said in a statement.
The health system did not respond to Becker’s questions about how many employees will be affected by the closure or whether they will have opportunities to remain with Altru in other positions.
Altru operates two primary hospital campuses in Grand Forks as well as Altru Hospital Devils Lake (N.D.), a 25-bed critical access hospital it acquired from Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health in March.
The health system also plans to acquire three additional North Dakota hospitals from CommonSpirit. Altru signed a nonbinding agreement in January to acquire CHI St. Alexius Health in Bismarck, CHI St. Alexius Health Turtle Lake and CHI St. Alexius Health Garrison.
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