Becker's Hospital Review

12 CFO / FINANCE Grady gets $130M cash infusion as Atlanta braces for 460-bed loss By Molly Gamble G eorgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced a $130 million cash in- fusion for Atlanta's public Grady Health System Sept. 15, two weeks aer an unexpected decision from Wellstar Health System to close the neighboring Atlanta Medical Center this fall. e state drew from its remaining American Rescue Plan allotment for the $130 million infusion, which will add nearly 200 beds to 953- bed Grady. e hospital is already in the process of adding more than 40 beds by Nov. 1. Grady will be the only level 1 trauma center in the Atlanta metro area when 460-bed Atlanta Medical Center closes Nov. 1. e two hospitals are less than 2 miles apart. e governor said the additional 200 beds "will come online in a rolling fashion as Grady moves into its new surgical tower next year." e state is also reallocating a temporary 24-patient room medical unit used during the early surge of COVID-19 to Grady to use while the additional capacity opens. "As you all are very well aware, the Atlanta Medical Center's closure has presented a very saddening and complicated challenge to the healthcare infrastructure of our capital city," the governor said. "While the decision to close was certainly no one's preference, our job is to now move forward, move forward together and find a viable solution to the needs of the impacted community." e rescue package means Grady has received upwards of $140 million in aid over the span of two weeks. e Fulton County, Ga., Board of Commissioners approved a special one-time $11 million infusion of cash to Grady Memorial Hospital Sept. 7. Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis said the $11 million was already approved to cover unexpected labor costs at Grady and would be transferred immediately. n Providence plans $712M expansion in California By Ayla Ellison R enton, Wash.-based Providence is investing $712 million to expand in southern California. Providence is building two new multispecialty medical centers in San Clemente and Rancho Mission Viejo, Calif. The health system will also build a new patient tower at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Calif. The expansion will add roughly 100 new beds at the 504-bed acute care regional medical center. "Caring for our neighbors is our primary mission, and having just celebrated our hospital's 50th anniversary, we're excited at the opportunity to grow with our growing community, and to continue providing care for the next 50," Seth Teigen, chief executive of Providence Mission Hospital, said in a Sept. 19 news release. Providence announced its expansion plan about eight months after ending its affiliation with Hoag, a three- hospital system based in Orange County. The systems ended the affiliation in January after nearly a decade together. n CHS closes Florida hospital By Ayla Ellison F ranklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems closed a 312-bed hospital in Venice, Fla., Sept. 22. Officials cited several reasons for the closure of ShorePoint Health Venice, including a decline in inpatient volume and rising expenses. The decision comes after the opening of Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice in November, according to the Herald-Tribune. The hospital closure was announced in August, the same month some services were discontinued, including emergency services. ShorePoint Health, a regional system, will continue outpatient services, and physicians affiliated with the ShorePoint Medical Group network in Venice will continue to see patients in their current medical offices. A former employee of ShorePoint Health Venice filed a lawsuit against CHS in late August over alleged violations of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The lawsuit alleges CHS and ShorePoint Health didn't provide workers with written notice required by the WARN Act before terminating their employment. The worker is bringing the action on behalf of herself and about 600 other former employees seeking to recover damages. CHS declined Becker's request to comment on the lawsuit. n

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