A bankruptcy judge on Jan. 14 denied a request from the Washington State Nurses Association to reconsider an order allowing Astria Regional Medical Center in Yakima, Wash., to close, according to TV station KIMA.
Astria Health, a three-hospital system that filed for bankruptcy in May, received approval from the bankruptcy court on Jan. 8 to close Astria Regional Medical Center. Two days later, the Washington State Nurses Association, which represents 140 nurses at the hospital, filed an emergency motion urging the judge to reconsider the order allowing the hospital to close.
During a hearing Jan. 14, Astria Health's lawyer argued the union's request was moot because there are no patients left at the hospital in Yakima, and the hospital has surrendered its license to the state, according to the report.
The judge denied the union's request, saying Astria has already explored every option to keep the hospital open.
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