Douglas, Ariz.-based Cohise Regional Hospital permanently closed its doors earlier this month, which has put nearby Copper Queen Community Hospital in Brisbee, Ariz., in a bind, according to a KVOA report.
The two hospitals are roughly 20 miles from one another, and 400 people a month are now making the trek from Douglas to receive care in the Brisbee hospital. That's up from about 160 people per month prior to Cohise Regional's closing, according to the report.
"It's putting a strain on everyone in the system," James Dickson, CEO of Copper Queen Community Hospital, told KVOA. "We are handling it, but it's a stress and a strain."
To remedy the problem, Copper Queen Community Hospital plans to build an emergency department in Douglas. The Douglas Regional Hospital Complex Emergency Department is slated to open in 2016, KVOA reported.