Red Bud (Ill.) Regional Hospital intends to close the Monroe County Surgical Center in Waterloo, Ill., citing low volume and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Republic-Times reported Oct. 6.
The 6,800-square-foot ASC suspended services in 2020 because of COVID-19 and has remained nonoperational since.
The center's two operating rooms were running with low volume before the pandemic. The ASC was operating at a 10.2 percent capacity in 2019 and a 22.9 percent capacity in 2018, Jen Babb, the center's administrator, wrote in a filing with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.
Ms. Babb said she is not aware of any effect the last year of suspension has had on patient access and that she doesn't anticipate much impact with its permanent closure.
The ASC opened in 2011 as a physician-owned facility. In 2015, a majority stake was acquired by Red Bud Regional Hospital for $2.2 million.