With now less than a month before Marian Community Hospital in Carbondale closes its doors for good, employees were handed even more bad news.
Officials were considering keeping part of the facility open. An urgent care center where the hospital's emergency room is now. But, not anymore, officials said there wouldn't be enough need for an urgent care center.
"It wasn't out last ditch hope, but it was a hope that that would happen and some of the employees would be re-hired," said hospital employee Joe Merrigan.
Some employees will miss out on a second chance for a job. And, without an urgent care center, some patients think the hospital's missing out on its second chance too.
"It's quite a money maker, my wife was in here on December 9th and the bill came to $2,600. And so, when you see something like that you say, wow, somebody should be willing to make that kind of money," said Paul Wogen of Carbondale.
Carbondale city officials said two major health care systems in the County, Geisinger and Community Health Systems, have not expressed any interest in taking over Marian Community Hospital.
Its employees said they hope the hospital finds some new purpose, because there's a need for health care in the up-valley.
"I pray that there is for the whole surrounding area, not just for them, but because i'm getting older too. I dont want to be driving, or taking an ambulance to Scranton or Wilkes-Barre," Merrigan added.
The emergency room closes in about two weeks. The rest of Marian Community Hospital will close its doors on February 28.