SOUTH RENOVO, Pa. — A medical center is in financial trouble and now officials in Clinton County are sounding the alarm to keep its services available and close to home.
The future of Bucktail Medical Center in South Renovo is in jeopardy. The only inpatient hospital left in Clinton County could cease to exist due to financial reasons.
"We were hit with some major bills back from Medicare and Medicaid," said Dr. Alan Edwards, Bucktail's chief medical officer.
Bucktail Medical Center is a nonprofit hospital. The hospital says many of its patients are on Medicare or Medicaid and claims the federal government is capping payments and is not helping offset costs.
"Rural hospitals are going through a real phase of the decrease of money available to keep them alive."
Hospital officials say they may soon struggle to pay employees. If nothing changes, the hospital may have to close its doors, leading to a loss of jobs.
"Forty nurses who would have to find new jobs. There are a total of 85 employees here, and that would be a lot of people who would have to make some major changes," said Laura Murnyack, chief nursing officer.
"It would be terrible. It would be terrible for the town. It would be terrible for the people who work here," said Lillian Keller, who has been an employee at Bucktail Medical Center for 50 years.
Keller's daughter also works there, and her son-in-law is a resident at the nursing home attached to the hospital. Keller is concerned about what would happen if it closed.
"He would have to be moved which would be terrible and his wife would not have a job."
The hospital has seen a rapid decline in patients over the past few years. Many are opting to drive farther to hospitals like UPMC or Geisinger in Lycoming County.
The hospital says it can only survive if patient volume increases.
"To ask what we can do differently to help serve you but also bring you back into our fold," Dr. Edwards said.
The Bucktail Medical Center in South Renovo provides emergency room services, skilled nursing, imaging, and EMS services.
CEO Tim Reeves says the facility has been losing about $150,000 a month over the past year, saying insurance companies don't want to pay.
Without Bucktail, the closest medical centers would be at least 40 minutes away.
A community meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday at the Chapman Township Fire Hall in North Bend.
A GoFundMe community fundraiser has been organized to help keep the facility afloat.
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