Workers react after Pickens County Medical Center announces closure

PICKENS COUNTY, Ala. (WCBI) – Over 100 workers in Pickens County will be losing their jobs at the end of the week, and area residents are losing a healthcare resource.

The Pickens County Medical Center is shutting down this Friday.

In a release, the medical center said its financial condition has become “unsustainable.”

This has also left many workers with uncertain futures.

Mary Walker has worked at Pickens County Medical for 40 years as an LPN.

She said when she left home Friday for the weekend, no one was aware the hospital was closing.

“The employers were not kept informed,” said Walker. “So we knew nothing. So it just breaks my heart for this place to close.”

Walker said a few months ago another facility made an offer that would’ve kept Pickens County open.

But Walker said the hospital decided to go in another direction.

“They felt like it wasn’t a good opportunity to do that,” said Walker. “That we can make it on our own and I think that was a grave mistake. I think that was a grave mistake. Because they were willing to put doctors in here they were willing to put surgeons in here. The things that we need to keep our hospital open and they did not go with it. And they did not consult the employees to see what they wanted. So yes, I am upset with them.”

Tanya Bryant said the closing affected more than just the employees.

It’s going to be a blow to the community.

“It’s really going to hurt,” said Bryant. “It’s really going to have a big impact on the community. Great impact. That’s one of my greatest fears is that you know people that we could possibly save, might not make it.”

“A lot of people have bad things to say about this hospital,” said Anita Jones. “But since I’ve been working here this short period of time, I seen a lot of lives get saved.”

Emotions were also high for Carrollton Mayor Mickey Walker.

“Sadness, just sadness,” said Walker. “If that don’t affect your heart, then you ain’t got a heartbeat. Because all the people here know the people that work there. My heart goes out to them.

Walker said the county’s economic health will be taking a hit too.

“I think we’re losing approximately 130 jobs. And we just wish somebody from Washington would’ve stepped up and get this thing resolved it’s just going to be devastating. We got so many family members. I got a daughter that works there.”

Alabama Senator Doug Jones released the following statement about the closure:

“This is a real loss for the Pickens County community, and my prayers are with all the folks who have lost their jobs or the access to health care they relied on. This should be yet another a wakeup call that it’s past time to take action to save Alabama’s hospitals. My team and I have been working closely with other members of the congressional delegation to find long-term solutions to help rural hospitals like Pickens County Medical Center stay open, but there is a clear step our state leaders could take that would help: expanding Medicaid. I sincerely hope that no other community has to suffer their hospital closing its doors because of our inability to put partisan differences aside and work together to save our rural hospitals.”

Read the full press release from Pickens County Medical Center below:

The Pickens County Health Care Authority is deeply saddened to announce the closure of Pickens County Medical Center, effective March 6, 2020. Health Care Authority officials have worked diligently to explore every option for keeping the hospital open, but the hospital’s financial condition has become unsustainable. As a result, closure can no longer be avoided.

The closure of Pickens County Medical Center is symptomatic of a tragic national trend. Over the last 10 years, over 120 rural hospitals have closed across our nation. Contributing factors have been reduced federal funding, lower reimbursement from private payers, and high percentages of uninsured patients. Additionally, for several years, Pickens County Medical Center has experienced declining patient volumes.

We appreciate the opportunity to have been of service for so many years to the citizens of our community. We are working with state and federal regulators on our closure plan and will coordinate with other medical providers to assist our patients with a smooth transition. Existing hospital patients will be either discharged or transferred no later than March 6^th.

We wish to commend our dedicated staff members for their service to the hospital and the community. For our staff members, we will be working with other employers to facilitate access to potential employment opportunities.

Although closure must be accomplished quickly, we are committed to an orderly and transparent process. We regret that this action is necessary and thank you for your support through the years.