18 hospital department closures in 2017 so far

Alyssa Rege -

Since Jan. 1, Becker's Hospital Review reported 18 hospitals had declared plans to shutter or consolidate select departments within their facilities.

The department closures highlight a growing national trend in hospital consolidation since the beginning of 2017.

Below are the 18 hospital closures and consolidations, listed alphabetically by state.

Iowa

1. Mary Greeley Medical Center dissolves adolescent behavioral unit
Ames, Iowa-based Mary Greeley Medical Center stopped admitting children into its inpatient adolescent behavioral health unit in early January to accommodate increasing demand for more adult inpatient behavioral health services.

Maine

2. Maine rural hospital to shutter obstetrics unit
Calais (Maine) Regional Hospital said the facility will close its obstetrics unit by the end of this year.

Massachusetts

3. North Shore Medical Center plans to shut down pediatric inpatient unit
North Shore Medical Center in Salem, Mass., part of Boston-based Partners HealthCare, will close its inpatient pediatric unit in June.

4. State to shutter child psychiatric unit at Massachusetts hospital
The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health barred inpatient admission to the children's psychiatric unit at Westwood (Mass.) Lodge psychiatric hospital April 25 due to a "number of significant issues" with the facility.

5. Massachusetts hospital to end labor and delivery services
The board of directors of Southbridge, Mass.-based Harrington Hospital unanimously voted May 19 to obtain approval from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to close the hospital's family birthing center.

Minnesota

6. Mayo Clinic system to consolidate services between 2 Minnesota hospitals
As a result of staffing shortages, rising costs and falling reimbursement, Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Health System plans to consolidate services between two of its Minnesota hospitals in Albert Lea and Austin during the next several years.

Mississippi

7. Struggling Mississippi hospital eliminates neurosurgery services
Pascagoula, Miss.-based Singing River Health System officials said "financial troubles" forced the health system to terminate its neurosurgery services.

Montana

8. Indian Health Services clinic suddenly closes in Montana
More than 850 Native American patients were forced to find new care facilities after the Indian Health Board of Billings (Mont.) clinic unexpectedly closed May 2. The clinic was the only federally-designated facility in the area to provide free care to Native American patients.

Nebraska

9. Nebraska hospital to discontinue home health, hospice services
Blair, Neb.-based Memorial Community Hospital & Health System officials said the health system will no longer offer home health and hospice services.

10. Nebraska hospital closes transitional care unit due to nursing shortage
After struggling to fill open nursing positions, CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney, Neb., closed its transitional care unit June 8.

New Hampshire

11. Dartmouth-Hitchcock to stop providing infertility services by June 1
Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth-Hitchcock officials said the health system's reproductive endocrinology and infertility program will be discontinued June 1.

North Carolina

12. Nash UNC Health Care to close pediatric wing within 3 months
Officials at Rocky Mount, N.C.-based Nash UNC Health Care said March 16 the hospital would close its pediatric care wing within 60 to 90 days.

13. North Carolina hospital to end labor, delivery services by July 14
Franklin, N.C.-based nonprofit Angel Medical Center moved to cease its labor and delivery services by July 14 as part of a restructuring plan to modify its OB-GYN program.

14. Mission Health's Blue Ridge Hospital to end labor and delivery services Sept. 30
Mission Health's board of directors voted June 5 to close Spruce Pine, N.C.-based Blue Ridge Hospital's labor and delivery department by Sept. 30.

Ohio

15. Cleveland Clinic to close birthing center at affiliate hospital by June 30
Cleveland Clinic officials said they plan to close the birthing center at Medina (Ohio) Hospital by the end of June to consolidate the health system's labor and delivery services.

Pennsylvania

16. Pennsylvania hospital ordered to suspend services after additional safety violations discovered
State regulators mandated Harrisburg, Pa.-based Hillcrest Women's Medical Center suspend its services after a June 5 inspection revealed multiple deficiencies and violations.

Tennessee

17. Copper Basin Medical Center ends inpatient services, urges people to donate on GoFundMe page
Copperhill, Tenn.-based Copper Basin Medical Center temporarily closed its inpatient services May 9 due to a lack of funding.

West Virginia

18. W.Va. hospital closes baby delivery department following retirement of OB/GYN
Welch (W. Va.) Community Hospital closed its obstetrics unit after its only specialist retired May 31.

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