Lakeland Community Hospital, a 59-bed hospital in Haleyville, Ala., was slated to shut down at the end of the month, but it will now remain open, according to WBRC.
In November, officials said the hospital was closing due to dwindling reimbursements. Hospital CEO Debbie Pace said officials explored "every viable option" before making the decision to close Lakeland Community Hospital, which is the only hospital in Winston County.
However, the hospital will remain open thanks to efforts by several groups. On March 31, Clinton, Tenn.-based Curae Health, which currently owns Lakeland Community Hospital, will transfer ownership of the facility to the Haleyville and Winston County Hospital Authority. Once the ownership change occurs, Nashville, Tenn.-based Java Medical Group will operate the hospital, according to the report.
In December, Haleyville leaders approved a 1-cent sales tax, which will help support the hospital. Half of the revenue from the sales tax will go toward the hospital authority, and the other half will be used to pay hospital debt.
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