Four hospitals recently announced closures of pediatric services, with some citing low demand as the reason, Becker's reported on since Jan. 19.
1. Ascension St. John to close pediatric units
Tulsa, Okla.-based Ascension St. John Medical Center plans to close its pediatric intensive care unit and general pediatric inpatient care unit, which will add space for 36 adult ICU beds over two years, 2 News Oklahoma reported Feb. 8.
2. Shriners Children's Florida to permanently close
Tampa-based Shriners Children's Florida, an outpatient facility, will close and lay off its employees, the Tampa Bay Times reported Feb. 3. Shriners will partner with another healthcare provider starting April 1 to continue serving the Tampa Bay area.
3. Tufts to close children's hospital, convert it to adult ICU
Tufts Children's Hospital will close its 41-bed hospital and convert it to an adult intensive care unit and medical-surgical beds, The Boston Globe and WCVB reported Jan. 20. The hospital will now refer pediatric care to Boston Children's. The move is due to a lower demand for child care and a higher demand for adult care.
4. HCA Virginia hospital to close pediatric units
Richmond, Va.-based Henrico Doctors' Hospital — part of HCA Virginia — will close its pediatric unit and pediatric intensive care unit April 1, partially because of a low number of patients, according to a statement shared with Becker's.