Bluefield (W.Va.) Regional Medical Center ceased operations of its OB-GYN and surgical services departments due to financial strains from COVID-19, according to the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.
The closure will lead to 68 layoffs and is expected to take place April 30.
Jeffrey Lilley, CEO of Bluefield Regional's parent organization Princeton (W.Va.) Community Hospital, told the newspaper that surgery volume has dropped by 80 to 90 percent at the Bluefield hospital.
"The volatile landscape in healthcare has never been more negatively impacted than the destruction seen from COVID-19. Efforts to mitigate long-term impacts on the overall healthcare provided in our region require immediate steps to ensure the integrity of our system," he said.
Read the full report here.