St. Joseph's Hospital in Elmira, N.Y., closed its emergency department June 1, according to TV station WETM.
Arnot Health, which owns 295-bed St. Joseph's Hospital, said shutting down the ED and consolidating services with Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira will result in savings for the health system.
"With an estimated $1 million in annual savings expected from this consolidation, this move is a vital part of our strategy to redefine the way we provide essential healthcare services to our community and to ensure the continued viability of our health system," Arnot Health President and CEO Jonathan Lawrence said in May, according to WENY.
The plan to consolidate ED services has been in the works for months. Arnot sped up the process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, ED volume at both St. Joseph's Hospital and Arnot Ogden Medical Center dramatically declined, according to WENY.
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