First responders react to University Hospitals closing two locations

University Hospitals Health System announced Thursday it will be closing two of its suburban hospitals and emergency departments at UH Richmond and Bedford medical centers.

They say the reason is an unprecedented staffing shortage.

It’s no secret that healthcare is facing a severe staffing shortage, especially among nurses. More than half of the hospital nursing force across the country is older than 50.

But no one expected the burnout from the COVID-19 pandemic would drive nearly a third of nurses to retire, leave the profession or find traveling nurse positions that paid more.

Now that fallout is hitting close to home.

“This isn’t a decision about dollars, this is a decision about staffing,” says Dr. Paul Hinchey, President, UH Community Delivery Network.

On Aug. 12, University Hospitals will close the inpatient and emergency departments at both UH Richmond and Bedford Medical Centers. Those services will be consolidated into the expanding Ahuja Medical Center, six miles from Bedford, and UH Lake West, six miles from Richmond.

Nearly 600 employees will be impacted, including 337 at Richmond and 280 at Bedford, but there will be no layoffs and all employees will be absorbed into other UH facilities.