Several hospitals are scaling back services for a variety of reasons, including financial challenges and staffing issues.
Below are 13 hospitals that are cutting services.
1. Cleveland-based University Hospitals is scaling back care at two hospitals and consolidating services. The health system announced July 14 that it is ending inpatient, surgical and emergency services at UH Bedford (Ohio) Medical Center and UH Richmond Medical Center in Richmond Heights, Ohio, on Aug. 12. The health system attributed the changes to a staffing shortage.
2. Hazel Crest, Ill.-based Advocate South Suburban Hospital is ending labor and delivery services on Aug. 1. The hospital cited a decline in births as the reason for the change in obstetric services, with a 40 percent decrease since 2015.
3. St. Mary's Health System will close its maternity and women's health service line at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine, at the end of July.
4. Beverly (Mass.) Hospital announced in May that it is closing its freestanding birth center in September because of staffing shortages. The move comes after the hospital had to temporarily stop taking new birth center patients in March because of staffing problems. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health scheduled a public hearing July 20 regarding the hospital's plans to close the birth center.
5. Boston-based Tufts Children's Hospital closed its pediatric inpatient units July 1 to convert its 41 pediatric inpatient beds to adult ICU and medical/surgical beds. About 70 pediatric physicians transitioned from Tufts to Boston Children's Hospital at the beginning of July, a Tufts spokesperson told Becker's Hospital Review.
6. Commonwealth Health ended services at its emergency room in Tunkhannock, Pa., on July 1. The ER is part of the health system's Regional Hospital of Scranton, Pa.
7. Williamston, N.C.-based Martin General Hospital is planning to close its intensive care unit temporarily on Aug. 1. The hospital said nursing staff shortages are the primary reason for the closure.
8. Lakeside Medical Center in Belle Glade, Fla., announced plans in late June to close its baby-delivery unit. The hospital will keep its maternity department open with prenatal and midwifery services. It will also have an obstetrician-gynecologist on call for emergency deliveries.
9. Tampa, Fla.-based Shriners Hospitals for Children ended inpatient care at its campus in Springfield, Mass. The hospital gave the Massachusetts Department of Public Health a 120-day notice of the plan on March 31.
10. McLaren St. Luke's Hospital in Maumee, Ohio, is ending labor and delivery services. The hospital will end labor and delivery services between Aug. 31 and Sept. 30.
11. Stafford, Conn.-based Johnson Memorial Hospital is planning to close its labor and delivery, intensive care and medical/surgical units. The public notice to initiate the Certificate of Need application process to discontinue the services was filed July 13.
12. Pueblo, Colo.-based Parkview Health System will close its 25-bed inpatient adult psychiatric unit at Parkview Medical Center because of a decline in patients, The Pueblo Chieftain reported May 17.
13. Citing staff shortages and financial woes, Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, is scaling back some behavioral health services. The health system is closing its inpatient addiction recovery program and outpatient psychiatry practice.