RMC Jacksonville (Ala.), the city's only hospital, will shutter June 30, with its property gifted to nearby Jacksonville State University, according to AL.com.
The Healthcare Authority of the City of Anniston (Ala.), which operates the 104-bed hospital's parent company, Anniston-based RMC Health System, confirmed the closure in a May 17 news release obtained by Becker's Hospital Review. RMC Health System purchased the hospital in 2013.
Officials said the hospital campus will be gifted to the university, which is still coming to terms with the aftermath of a tornado that damaged several campus buildings March 19, according to the news release.
"In today's volatile healthcare environment, sustaining under-utilized, high-cost services and facilities is not fiscally responsible," Billy Grizzard, chairman of the Healthcare Authority of the City of Anniston, said in a statement. "RMC's board and leadership team have carefully evaluated the most viable options for the future of our health system and believe that reallocating our resources and services will best serve residents of Calhoun County and surrounding communities. The difficult decision to close was not made lightly."
The 42-year-old hospital's emergency room and ancillary services supporting the ER will remain operational until 11:59 p.m. June 30. Certain other services provided by the hospital will transition to other RMC facilities during the next six weeks, the report states.
The health system's human resources team will assist RMC Jacksonville employees in finding other job opportunities within the health system, officials said in the news release.
To access the AL.com report, click here.