North Metro Medical Center in Jacksonville, Ark., shut down Aug. 20, leaving local residents without an emergency room, according to KATV.
The TV station reported that no notice was given before the hospital shut down. On Aug. 21, black plastic covered signs near the hospital's entrance and signs on the locked doors said, "Sorry we're closed," according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Jacksonville Mayor Bob Johnson wasn't surprised by the news. He told KATV that he's been trying to find a new operator for North Metro Medical Center for months because he knew the hospital's closure was imminent. He's still trying to secure a buyer for the facility, according to the report.
With North Metro Medical Center closed, the local EMS service will transport patients to other hospitals in the area. Jacksonville EMS was already taking most patients to hospitals other than North Metro Medical Center because the hospital dropped out of the state's trauma system more than two years ago, according to KATV.
When contacted by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, North Metro Medical Center CEO Dale Anderson provided a news release that stated hospital and city officials are discussing the possibility of a health system operating a freestanding ER in Jacksonville.
Read the full KATV article here.
Read the full Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article here.
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