A medical/surgical unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Elmira is closing as of May 16.
According to a statement by Arnot Health — of which St. Joseph’s is a member hospital — closure of the D-3 Unit will reduce staffing by the equivalent of 22 full-time positions, affecting 39 full-time, part-time and per diem employees.
The statement noted that Arnot Health is affected by a national trend in which "hospitals are facing declining inpatient volumes as an increasing number of procedures are done in an outpatient setting."
However, the statement emphasized that "this will not result in any loss of services at St. Joseph’s Hospital," pointing out that an existing medical/surgical unit at St. Joseph’s will continue to operate.
St. Joseph’s has been aligned with Arnot Ogden since 2011, when a merger was finalized that allows for St. Joseph’s to retain its Catholic identity while consolidating with the secular Arnot Health.
Arnot Health also operates the Elmira-based Arnot Ogden Medical Center as well as other health-care facilities in the Southern Tier.
