Summa Health System in Akron, Ohio, plans to permanently shut down inpatient services at one of its hospitals and close another hospital's emergency department in an effort to "transition the organization for tomorrow."
During the next three to five months, inpatient services will end at Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital in Wadsworth, Ohio. In addition, by June 1, the system will close the emergency department at Summa St. Thomas Hospital in Akron. The Wadsworth facility, a 50-bed hospital that has averaged fewer than 20 inpatients per day, will eventually transition to a medical campus consisting of a freestanding ED and certain outpatient services. Summa St. Thomas Hospital's ED will initially transition to a primary care office with the hopes of becoming a federally qualified health center. The system did not outline how many jobs would be affected by the moves.
Summa also made several changes to its executive organization. Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital and Summa Barberton (Ohio) Hospital will no longer have a president, CFO or COO. Tom Malone, MD, Summa's COO for the care delivery system, and Erik Steele, DO, Summa's CMO, now have increased oversight and responsibilities.
The decline of inpatient volumes and the transitioning of care away from the ED and toward preventive care settings spurred the changes, according to executives. "Summa is a forward-looking organization, and we have demonstrated again and again that we can make important changes to where and how our services will be offered tomorrow, even when those changes challenge us today," Summa President and CEO Tom Strauss said in a news release.
More Articles on Hospital Closures:
Virtua to End Inpatient Services at Berlin Campus
2 CHS Hospitals to Cease Inpatient, Emergency Services
Palm Drive Hospital Officially Shuts Down