Honorable Whitman W. Holt Denies WSNA’s Emergency Motion
[Yakima, WA – January 14, 2020] Today, January 14, 2020, the Honorable Whitman L. Holt of the United States Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Washington denied the WSNA’s Emergency Motion for reconsideration of the order authorizing closure of Astria Regional Medical Center (ARMC).
The decision was based on the fact that Astria Health has exhausted all other options including funding substantial ongoing financial losses, seeking lenders that would provide additional liquidity to ARMC, and seeking to sell or partner with nearby hospitals, all in an effort to continue to provide healthcare to the community. Ultimately, the hospital’s financial losses proved unsustainable. Since purchasing the Astria Regional Medical Center in late August 2017, ARMC has lost over $40M. This court decision helps protect healthcare for the Yakima Valley, including the Lower Yakima Valley hospitals in Sunnyside and Toppenish and all the associated clinic and outpatient centers in the heart of the state’s agricultural base.
Struggling hospital finances are not unique to Astria Regional Medical Center nor to the Yakima Valley. As illustrated in this January 9, 2020 Bloomberg article entitled “Hospital Bankruptcies Leave Sick and Injured Nowhere to Go”.
After exhausting all possible options to save the Astria Regional Medical Center, the medical center closed its Emergency Department on Monday, January 13, 2020 at 12:01. All patients who were being cared for by the hospital have been appropriately transferred either to Astria Toppenish Hospital, Astria Sunnyside Hospital or other appropriate healthcare facilities.
Astria Health continues to be committed to providing care to the Yakima Valley through providing a continuum of both outpatient, ambulatory surgery, primary and specialty care centers, and home health and hospice care. Astria Health healthcare locations include:
Astria Sunnyside Hospital
Astria Toppenish Hospital
Astria Ambulatory Surgical Center
Astria Health Centers
Astria Plastic Surgery Center
Astria Home Health and Hospice
Astria Hearing and Speech
Astria Regional Medical Center patients’ medical records will be made available by calling 509.576.3749, or faxing a request to 509.575-5244 or, over the next 30 days, through the Medical Records Department at the hospital located at 110 S. 9thAvenue, Yakima.
Posted January 14, 2020