During the Ashland City Council meeting last week, three employees at the hospital raised concerns about a possible closure amid an expiring contract with an anesthesia provider, the failure to renew contracts with orthopedic surgeons, staff shortages and the closure of the hospital’s intensive care unit, dailytidings.com reported Aug. 19.
Asante Ashland Community’s contract with an outside anesthesia provider will expire Sept. 1, but it will continue to have anesthesia coverage after that date, a spokesperson for the hospital told Becker’s.
CEO Brandon Mencini told hospital employees in an email that rumors of a potential closure are “unfounded” and leaders are developing a plan to continue to provide surgical operations and anesthesia services after Sept. 1, according to the report.
“We are developing a strategic plan for the hospital, as we do periodically across the health system for every hospital and many service lines,” Asante said in a statement. “We are excited to complete our strategic planning efforts that are currently underway so we can invest in the facility and plan for the future needs of our community.”
Medford, Ore.-based Asante Health is a three-hospital system with more than 30 primary care and specialty clinic locations.
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