Hospital Closure in Wichita Falls
A hospital in Wichita Falls is closing, according to a social media announcement. Kell West Regional Hospital will begin “to wind down its operations in the coming weeks,” the announcement said, but it did not give a specific timeline.
Another Wichita Falls hospital, United Regional Health Care System, will purchase the closing hospital’s building and property. Cory Edmondson, the CEO of United Regional, said on Thursday that the property acquisition will be completed in the next 60 to 90 days.
Background Information
Kell West is a 41-bed acute care hospital, according to 2023 state data. Wichita Falls is about 115 miles northwest of Fort Worth, just shy of the Oklahoma border.
United Regional announced the closure and property purchase in a Wednesday Facebook post, but Kell West’s social media accounts and website did not feature any similar announcement. As recently as the end of August, Kell West was posting job openings on its Facebook page.
Reasons for Closure
The United Regional announcement attributed the decision to close to “the evolving health care landscape, including reimbursement rates, patient volumes, and the cost of infrastructure needs and care.”
In a phone call, Edmondson pointed again to financial difficulties. “Some hospitals and rural hospitals struggle to make ends meet,” the United Regional CEO said. “Kell West was not immune to that.”
Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council CEO Stephen Love said the financial challenges are not isolated. “Many smaller and rural hospitals face financial difficulties currently,” Love wrote in an email, “and with Medicaid reductions recently enacted … will have even more cashflow problems.”
Impact on Patients and Staff
United Regional, which has about 300 beds, is planning to absorb patients from the smaller and soon-to-be closed hospital. Edmondson also said that United Regional will welcome applications from former staff of Kell West.
United Regional will also make use of the Kell West property at some point, although Edmondson said those plans are not firm. He said the property will be used for patient care in some capacity, but not as a hospital.
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Conclusion
The closure of Kell West Regional Hospital is a significant development in the healthcare landscape of Wichita Falls. The financial difficulties faced by the hospital are not unique, and many smaller and rural hospitals are struggling to make ends meet. The acquisition of the hospital’s property by United Regional Health Care System is a positive step, as it will ensure that the property is used for patient care in some capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is Kell West Regional Hospital closing?
A: The hospital is closing due to financial difficulties, including reimbursement rates, patient volumes, and the cost of infrastructure needs and care.
Q: What will happen to the hospital’s patients?
A: United Regional Health Care System will absorb patients from the smaller and soon-to-be closed hospital.
Q: What will happen to the hospital’s staff?
A: United Regional will welcome applications from former staff of Kell West.
Q: What will happen to the hospital’s property?
A: United Regional will make use of the Kell West property at some point, although plans are not firm. The property will be used for patient care in some capacity, but not as a hospital.
