Becker's has reported on four hospitals shuttering in the South in 2024.
This could mean a rise in volume for ASCs — ASCs are already booming in the South, particularly in states like Florida and Texas that don't have certificate-of-need laws stifling growth. The South's population boom, tax-friendly nature and aging population all contribute to it becoming an ideal location for ASCs and physicians.
"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 the four hospitals shuttering in the South:
1. Prairieville (La.) Family Hospital closed April 29. The Louisiana Department of Health revoked its license after determining that the hospital violated state hospital laws and regulations by operating as a freestanding emergency department.
2. Regional Medical Center Health System ended inpatient services at 125-bed Stringfellow Memorial Hospital in Anniston, Ala. RMC Health, which bought the hospital for $25 million in 2017, transitioned the emergency department to its main hospital campus.
3. 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.
4. Port Arthur-based Medical Center of Southeast Texas, part of Dallas-based Steward Health Care, closed its Beaumont campus on Feb. 2.