Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville, N.C., will permanently close its emergency department Aug. 24, according to an article published on iredellfreenews.com.
Matthew Littlejohn, network CEO for Davis Regional and Lake Norman Regional Medical Center in Mooresville, N.C., notified Davis Regional medical staff, employees and volunteers of the closure Aug. 19, according to the article.
News of the Aug. 24 date comes as the 146-bed Davis Regional is transitioning to a specialty hospital focused on inpatient behavioral healthcare. Davis announced the transition in July.
"The need for behavioral health services in North Carolina and across the country is at an all-time high, and Davis will support access for the people who need this specialized care," the hospital's announcement states. "All other hospital services, including emergency room, acute inpatient, obstetrics, surgical services and all outpatient tests and procedures will be available at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center."
Since the announcement, dozens of Davis Regional employees have been hired by Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville, and Statesville-based Piedmont HealthCare has also held hiring events, according to the article published on iredellfreenews.com.
Davis Regional and Lake Norman Regional are part of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems.