Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare plans to convert Houston-based Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center into a freestanding emergency room by April 18, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Four insights:
1. The conversion is part of a larger facility realignment strategy, HCA officials told the Houston Chronicle.
"The realignment of select service lines at our northwest Houston hospitals we believe will help us better serve the communities in the northwest region,” said HCA Houston Healthcare's Sean Burnett, vice president of strategic communications.
2. The 181-bed Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center will lay off 586 workers starting May 17. About 300 have accepted or received job offers, and some will remain at the new ER, which is yet to be named. HCA plans to offer similar positions to remaining employees who haven't chosen to leave.
3. Many healthcare systems are transitioning services to outpatient centers, retail locations and telemedicine in an effort to cut costs. HCA's conversion plan is perplexing because emergency rooms are often an expensive care site, according to Vivian Ho, a health economist interviewed by the Houston Chronicle.
4. HCA Houston Healthcare owns 15 hospitals, nine outpatient surgery centers, eight freestanding emergency centers and 12 standalone diagnostic imaging facilities.