Springfield, Mass.-based Baystate Health will close the Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center in Ware, Mass., sometime within the next two years, businesswest.com reported Jan. 27.
The system will relocate most of the services offered at the center to Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer, Mass., about 9 miles away.
The system decided to close the outpatient center because of underutilization and decaying infrastructure. Nearly 50 percent and 90 percent of the system's daytime and overnight capacity sat unused, respectively.
More than 85 percent of patients who did present with symptoms had minor, nonurgent conditions that could've been treated in a primary care setting.
Baystate Health also made the decision in advance of decaying infrastructure. The center would've needed more than $5 million in investments to maintain the facility.
The system will begin working with center staff to create a transition plan.