OAKLAND, NE; June 23, 2021 – MercyOne Oakland Medical Center announced today it will no longer accept new inpatient admissions, and the Emergency Department will be closed, effective July 1, 2021. The medical center cited low daily in-patient and emergency room volumes as the main factors in the decision. Both MercyOne Oakland and Lyons Family Medicine clinics will remain open. Hospital leaders have notified the state and will work with patients to coordinate ongoing care.
“The decision to close a hospital may be the most difficult one a health system ever faces,” said Beth Hughes, President of the Western Iowa Region for MercyOne. Hughes added, “We care deeply about our patients and the communities we serve, and this is something we take very seriously.”
As hospital usage has been declining for a number of years, MercyOne has been assessing how to continue to deliver quality care in a way that meets the needs of the communities it serves.
“We are proud of our team members who always put their whole heart into serving patients and look forward to continuing that level of care in the clinic setting,” Hughes said.
“Following discussions focused on how to address the evolving delivery needs of rural health care, it was clear a change was necessary. It is time to refocus our efforts on providing health care to Oakland residents and the surrounding community through MercyOne Oakland Family Medicine and MercyOne Lyons Family Medicine clinics,” Hughes said. “As part of our commitment to finding the best way to provide health care to this community, we are also exploring the possibility of building a new clinic in Oakland to eventually replace the existing Oakland medical practice.”
As part of this transition, the MercyOne Oakland Family Medicine clinic will offer imaging and lab services.
