McLaren St. Luke's in Maumee, Ohio, will close and cease all outpatient services by mid-May after years of declining revenues and an unstable reimbursement environment, according to a March 3 news release.
Grand Blanc, Mich.-based McLaren Health Care and Cincinnati-based Mercy Health are working to finalize an asset purchase agreement in which Mercy will acquire McLaren St. Luke's facilities, land and physical assets.
Mercy will work with WellCare Physicians Group practices through the transition with the goal of maintaining continuity of patient care.
"Despite the tireless dedication of everyone associated with McLaren St. Luke's, we have not been able to overcome the historic financial losses experienced by this hospital — losses that began long before COVID-19 that now run into the millions each month," Jennifer Montgomery, RN, president and CEO of the hospital, said in the release. "Our passion for patient care and commitment to clinical excellence have never wavered. But sadly, we are not on a financially sustainable path."
The hospital has begun notifying employees, patients, regulators and community partners of plans to discontinue operations.
Current patients will complete their care, and the hospital will begin to reduce admissions and wind down other clinical operations in the weeks ahead.
Mercy expects to extend employment opportunities to a significant percentage of the hospital's physicians and employees and will begin meeting with them next week.