Habersham Medical Center is making a number of changes to its operations as it prepares for Northeast Georgia Health System to assume ownership of it in July.
The biggest change will take place at midnight Friday, when the Demorest facility will stop admitting new patients into its intensive care unit. The ICU will cease operations completely when the last patient admitted before that time is discharged.
Hospital officials said in a release that the ICU currently holds an average of two to three patients per week and is operating at a financial loss. Patients who enter the ICU after midnight Friday will be evaluated and sent to the nearest available ICU facility if the care is needed.
Habersham Medical Center's operating room will also cut back operations from five days a week to three starting February 13. The OR will operate from Monday through Wednesday.
“While decisions to adjust operations are never easy, imperative steps are being taken now to improve the hospital’s financial situation,” Hospital Authority of Habersham County Chair Dolly Ritchie said.
The hospital will also be pausing the use of on-call general surgeons starting midnight Friday and will pause its employee fitness center operations starting February 22.
“We applaud HMC leadership for making these difficult operational decisions, and we look forward to reassessing how some of the services may resume at a later date,” Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville President John Kueven said. “We will continue to work together to ensure healthier tomorrows for the people of Habersham County.”
