Several healthcare organizations have closed medical departments or ended services at facilities to shore up finances, focus on more in-demand services or address staffing shortages.
Below are nine closures or service endings announced, advanced or finalized since Jan. 1, as reported by Becker's Hospital Review.
1. Mercyhealth, which has seven hospitals in Wisconsin and Illinois, filed an application with the Illinois Health and Services Review Board to end inpatient services at Javon Bea Hospital-Rockton this year. The Health Facilities and Services Review Board is expected to make a decision March 15.
2. Tulsa, Okla.-based Ascension St. John Medical Center plans to close its pediatric intensive care and general pediatric inpatient care units. The closure is set for April 30 and will allow for an adult ICU expansion.
3. Tampa-based Shriners Children's Florida, an outpatient facility, will close and lay off employees. Shriners plans to partner with another healthcare provider starting April 1 to continue services in Tampa.
4. Carmel, N.Y.-based Putnam Hospital, a Nuvance Health affiliate, will stop providing services at its birthing center because its physician provider of labor and delivery services is leaving. The suspension is effective March 1.
5. Boston-based Tufts Children's Hospital will close its 41-bed hospital and convert the space into an adult intensive care unit and medical and surgical beds.
6. Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond, Va., which is part of HCA Virginia, will close its pediatric and pediatric intensive care units April 1. The hospital attributed the decision to low patient volume.
7. Holy Cross Health in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will permanently close its labor and delivery unit March 14. The hospital attributed the decision to declining birth rates.
8. Tower Health closed Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville, Pa., on Jan. 31. The West Reading, Pa.-based system announced in December 2021 it would close the hospital after a deal fell through. A judge recently ruled that Tower Health must restart the sale process of the hospital.
9. Drexel Hill, Pa.-based Delaware County Memorial Hospital will no longer house inpatient obstetrics. The services moved to Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pa., effective Jan. 21.