St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., plans to wind down COVID-19 inpatient services by the end of May, affecting 325 jobs, according to the Star Tribune.
COVID-19 care is one of the last remaining inpatient services at St. Joseph's Hospital, which has been gradually shutting down inpatient services over the last few months and transitioning to a community hub for health and wellness.
The owner of St. Joseph's Hospital, Minneapolis-based M Health Fairview, said it is starting the process to end COVID-19 inpatient care to give affected employees time to find different jobs within the health system.
M Health Fairview also said it expects vaccine administration progress to curb demand for the higher level of care.
"We are keeping a close eye on our numbers as we begin our transition process … and will continue to do so as the process moves forward to ensure we can safely and adequately care for COVID patients," a health system memo obtained by the Star Tribune stated.
The shutdown of COVID-19 inpatient services comes alongside several other changes M Health Fairview announced last October as it braced for a financial loss. The health system said it would close 16 of its 56 clinics in Minnesota and Wisconsin; shut down its 90-bed Bethesda Rehabilitation Hospital in St. Paul, Minn.; and stop offering most inpatient services at St. Joseph's Hospital.
St. Joseph's will offer mental health inpatient services until next year and is working to find a partner to continue to keep the services in the region. In additon to mental health services, St. Joseph's will continue to offer telemedicine phone booths, a paramedics program and a transition care services clinic, among other services.