York Hospital will temporarily suspend emergency-level care at its walk-in facility in Wells, Maine, amid a staffing shortage, The Portsmouth Herald reported.
The hospital is suspending the services "to better care for our patients at all York Hospital community locations," according to an announcement from the hospital.
The temporary suspension begins Oct. 25. Wells Walk-In Care will continue to offer urgent care to patients daily, with the same hours, according to the hospital's announcement.
Hospital spokesperson Jean Kolak told The Portsmouth Herald the decision to temporarily suspend emergency services comes as a staffing shortage continues.
"Universally, healthcare has seen their workers leaving for other industries, retiring early and especially in nursing, taking on traveler opportunities," she told the newspaper.
York Hospital will suspend the emergency services at its walk-in care facility in Wells days before Maine is set to enforce its COVID-19 vaccination mandate.
In an order issued Oct. 19, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer rejected a request from healthcare workers to immediately block enforcement of the mandate, which is slated to begin Oct. 29.