The emergency room in Lake Placid, N.Y., could soon close, according to an Oct. 13 report from Lake Placid News.
Adirondack Health operates the emergency room at the Lake Placid Health and Medical Fitness Center, and the organization submitted a closure plan to the state on Oct. 13, according to the report.
The closure was announced in an open letter to the community, published on Oct. 8 by the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. The letter was signed by multiple Adirondack Health administrators, staff, and board members. It attributes the emergency room's closure to the rising cost of "doing business" as inflation continues and medical supplies become more expensive, according to the Enterprise.
According to the letter, there were 1,394 total visits to the Lake Placid emergency room in the first six months of 2022. Eighty-nine percent were considered non-urgent or semi-urgent, 9 percent were considered urgent, and 2 percent required emergent or resuscitative care. The low patient volume resulted in a $2.2 million loss.
Wilmington town Supervisor Roy Holzer told Lake Placid News he was upset about the closure and plans to submit a resolution to the Essex County Board of Supervisors opposing the change.
"I understand they're under fiscal stress, but this is where transparency right from the get-go would have probably helped a lot. If I was up in Lake Placid I'd be very disappointed our 12-hour ER is now closing, no matter what else they may try to offer down the road," Mr. Holzer said.