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Ascension, the St. Louis-based parent of Indianapolis-based health system Ascension St. Vincent, confirmed Friday that it plans to close 11 facilities in central Indiana, citing “a significant operational toll” from the pandemic.
The closures are expected to occur in the next 90 days, according to an Ascension statement.
“The global COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant operational toll on health systems across the country, and as we continue to evolve how we deliver care in this challenging environment, we will be partially or fully discontinuing operations at several Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent locations,” the statement read.
“Impacted locations will remain open at this time with the majority closing in 90 days. Notifications to patients will begin over the coming weeks and we are committed to ensuring continuity of care for all whom we are privileged to serve.”
The following locations will be fully closed:
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Greenwood Primary Care Olive Branch
1579 Olive Branch Parke Lane, Suite 180, Greenwood
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Crawfordsville Primary Care
1684 Bush Lane, Crawfordsville
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Frankfort Primary Care
2485 E. Wabash St, Frankfort
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Brazil Primary Care
1214 E. National Avenue, Suite 100, Brazil
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Lafayette Cardiovascular, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery3900 St. Francis Way, Suite 201, Lafayette
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Hoosier Dermatology
13450 North Meridian, Suite 363, Carmel
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Avon Primary Care
9723 E. U.S. Highway 36, Avon
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Plainfield Primary Care
2155 E. Main St., Plainfield
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Alexandria Primary Care
2012 South Park Ave., Alexandria
Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent – Haubstadt Primary Care
835 South 9th Ave., Haubstadt
The shutdowns mark the latest of several waves of Ascension facility closures in Indiana in the last year.
In October, Ascension announced that it planned to close its critical care hospital in Bedford, as well as nine Ascension Medical Group practices in Lawrence County.
In June, Ascension St. Vincent confirmed the closure of 11 immediate-care centers in central Indiana.
Also in July, IBJ reported that Ascension St. Vincent had closed a small “neighborhood hospital” in Noblesville, just five years after opening it as the first in a new model of tiny hospitals around central Indiana.
Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect that 11 (rather than 10) facilities are closing. Two facilities in Frankfort are closing. See more IBJ corrections here.
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Unfortunately, this is one of the by products of treating healthcare as a “business”.Burned out healthcare providers(doctors and nurses, RTs, PAs) small hospitals outcompeted then left and more healthcare deserts created in rural communities. So sad.
IU seems to keep growing, mmmm.
I’m not sure of the net effect this will have on the availability of health care in central Indiana, but with my recent forays into the healthcare system, I have noticed a distinct trend. A number my doctors will have office hours on one side of the city half the week and then somewhere else the other half of the week. This is true for at least 4 of the specialists I see.
If health care costs are out of control, it’s because I am paying for two offices for almost every physician. Closing a few offices doesn’t seem like that big of deal, especially when I know that there is so much redundancy in physician offices.
Real estate is cheap. Labor is expensive. Loss of access to care is not about where you go, but who you see.
So what you are saying is that you are okay with your doctor’s office closing near your house so you can drive to the other side of town to see your doctor? Most people are not willing to do this which is why your physician has multiple locations throughout the Indy metro area.
I have noticed the same thing. My hope would be that they have colleagues doing the same thing on the opposite days as others to keep the buildings fully utilized. However, with a medical building popping up on every corner the past few years, I’m not sure the buildings and equipment are being used at a near-full capacity.
The closing of some of the more remote offices is a huge issue for people who already travel a good way to those current offices, or if the closing of those satellite locations means they will be too far from appropriate medical care. It does make a difference to many.