As more hospitals close amid financial headwinds, ASCs might need to be prepared for patient volume shifts.
"While some patient volumes are shifting to ASCs, the practice owners need to be able to handle this increase in volume and the case complexities, as well as the rising staffing costs," Ali Ekbatani, DO, executive vice president and American Group president at North American Partners in Anesthesia, told Becker's. "ASCs, despite the potential surge of new patients, will be in a good position to serve these patients. They will need to build upon operational efficiencies to maintain a high level of patient experience for these new incoming patients."
Here are six hospital closures since March 1:
1. New England Sinai Hospital, a rehabilitation hospital owned by Steward Healthcare and based in Stoughton, Mass., has closed. The 182-bed hospital relocated patients to nearby skilled nursing facilities ahead of the closure.
2. Regional Medical Center Health System will end inpatient services at Stringfellow Memorial Hospital in Anniston, Ala. RMC purchased the 125-bed facility in 2017 for $25 million and will convert it to an urgent care clinic.
3. Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System closed Chippewa Falls, Wis.-based St. Joseph's Hospital on March 22.
4. Hospital Sisters Health System also closed Eau Claire, Wis.-based Sacred Heart Hospital on March 22.
5. Jellico (Tenn.) Regional Hospital shuttered March 9. In December, the hospital temporarily suspended services due to a staffing shortage, but CMS intervened to shut down the hospital after the CEO resigned and the company that ran the hospital pulled out.
6. Wausau, Wis.-based Aspirus Health is shutting down its Aspirus Ontonagon (Mich.) Hospital. It will turn it into a rural health clinic April 20.