13 rural hospitals in the Commonwealth at risk of closure, report finds

(WSET) — 13 of the 36 rural hospitals in the Commonwealth are at risk of closure, according to a report from the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC).

Of those 13, four are listed in the ABC13 area:

Bath Community HospitalCarillion Giles Community HospitalHCA LewisGale Hospital PulaskiSentara Halifax Regional Hospital

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JCHC lists these hospitals at risk of closure due to its Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform (CHQPR) findings, which, according to the report, “analyzes indicators of rural hospital financial performance to identify rural hospitals throughout the country that are at high risk of closure due to financial conditions.”

That report can be seen in the attached document.

A spokesperson for LewisGale Hospital Pulaski released a statement on Saturday, June 6, following the report, stating that they are not closing. Their full statement can be read below.

“LewisGale Hospital Pulaski is aware of the recent report and has reviewed its findings. We want to reassure our patients, colleagues and community that LewisGale Hospital Pulaski is not closing. We are operationally sound, remain open and focused on caring for the patients and families who depend on us.

The report appears to rely heavily on publicly available financial data. As part of a larger health system, LewisGale Hospital Pulaski does not publicly report individual hospital financial performance in the same way some independent hospitals may. As a result, the report may not fully reflect our hospital’s position as part of a larger healthcare network.”