HUNTINGTON, WV (WOWK) – Cabell Huntington Hospital will be closing two of its services this spring, according to Mountain Health Network.

Hospital officials say the CHH outpatient Surgery Center at 1201 Hal Greer Blvd. will be closing effective April 28, 2023. The hospital will also be phasing out its home health services over the next 90 days, according to MHN. Cabell Huntington Hospital officials say the closures are part of an effort to implement “operational efficiencies” to align its resources in a way that better manages costs.

Officials with the hospital say they have made efforts to make the two services viable, but the post-pandemic economic climate has created a prolonged decrease in the services’ financial performances.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has left health care systems across the country with lingering operational challenges that require they reexamine the way they deliver care,” said Tim Martin, Chief Operating Officer of CHH. “Both home health and the surgery center have had declining patient volumes over the past few years and these steps are being taken only after numerous attempts to reverse that downward trend. While this decision is difficult, our resolve for highly reliable care includes excellence in operations and continuous improvement for the patients and communities we serve.”

Officials with the hospital say they are planning a “orderly closure” for both the surgery center and the home health services.

According to CHH, surgeries that had previously been performed at the surgery center will now be at the CHH or St. Mary’s Medical Center operating rooms or at the Three Gables Surgery Center in Proctorville, Ohio.

Officials say while CHH will no longer be accepting new home health patients, they will assist in referring those needing home health to other providers within the region. According to MHN, current, longer-term home health patients will also be connected to other providers. CHH says they will continues serving current home health patients through June 10.

According to CHH, the closures will impact 78 staff members across both departments, and the hospital’s human resources department will be working to transition those staff members into one of the more than 200 open positions at the hospital.