Here are six things to know about the situation.
1. Mercy Medical Center and Aultman Hospital, both in Canton, Ohio, revealed plans to increase staff to ensure patients displaced by Affinity Medical Center’s closing are still able to receive quality care.
2. Aultman officials said they are in the preliminary stages of converting the hospital’s campus in Massillon into an emergency care facility, and expect the facility to be operational within the next six months, according to the report.
3. Mercy Medical Center recently opened its orthopedic and extended recovery unit ahead of schedule, allowing the hospital to free up space for a new telemetry unit, which opened Monday, the report states. Mercy also held a job fair to hire for key staff positions, which was attended by 400-plus people.
4. Quorum Health revealed plans earlier this month to close Affinity Medical Center Feb. 4. Last week, a Stark County judge granted a temporary restraining order halting closing procedures at the facility. The judge scheduled a hearing Feb. 1 to hear evidence in a preliminary injunction request to delay the hospital’s closure for 120 days, according to the report.
5. An Affinity Medical Center spokesperson said last week patients will continue to be accepted. The hospital previously said it would stop accepting patients Jan. 28, according to IndeOnline.com.
6. Emergency officials previously expressed concern regarding the influx of patients at both hospitals and declared their intent to work with neighboring fire and ambulance operators to ensure patients are quickly transported to a nearby facility should Affinity Medical Center close.
More articles on patient flow:
Nashville community to Meharry Medical College: Keep Nashville General open
In treating students from Kentucky, Vanderbilt trauma team encounters first experience with school shooting
‘Hazmat situation’ prompts evacuation of Baylor Scott & White ER hospital
