ELMIRA — Citing a decline in inpatient volumes, Arnot Health today announced plans to close one of two medical/surgical units at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Elmira.
The organization will close the D-3 medical/surgical unit, effective May 16.
Doctors are handling an “increasing number” of procedures in an outpatient setting, which has resulted in the lower-inpatient numbers, Arnot Health said in a news release.
The upcoming unit closure is the result of the need “to make the most efficient use of space and staffing resources” at St. Joseph’s Hospital, according to Arnot Health.
The move will affect 39 employees total, including a combination of full-time, part-time, and per-diem workers, Arnot Health said. The health-care organization said the move will eliminate 22 full-time equivalent positions.
Arnot Health is working with each employee to identify potential other opportunities or roles within the hospital system, the organization said.
The closure won’t result in any loss of services at St. Joseph’s Hospital, the organization said.
The nonprofit Arnot Health is a regional health-care system that also operates Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira and Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital in Bath.
It serves the Southern Tier of New York and the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania with a total of 709 licensed beds and more than 300 physicians, according to its website.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com