Since 2010, 82 rural hospitals have closed across the United States. The reasons are complex; however these closures are hitting southern states the hardest. In a rural small town, a critical care hospital sits shuttered. With millions in debt, the local government elected to close the hospital almost a decade ago. Locals asked the county to keep the hospital open, stating without the hospital, many residents would be forced to drive an hour away.
Before closing, the hospital was one of the largest employers in the area but struggled due to a lack of patients. Some weeks the hospital only had one or two patients. The facility had over two dozen beds. Coupled a significant drop in local funding, county officials had no choice but to close the hospital and hope they could one day reopen.
Almost 100 employees lost their jobs as a result of the hospital closing. Since county officials hoped to one day reopen, none of the equipment was sold or removed. The hospital remains fully stocked as if they just shut the doors yesterday. There was even expired food left behind in the kitchen pantry. This place has a very similar story to another hospital I visited years ago known as Bad Debt.
Tragic for the patients and the staff…
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Yes it is.
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Your photos really tell the story of this abandoned hospital.
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Thank you
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Another example in NC was the “Doctor’s Hospital” in Andrews NC, in the extreme western part of the state that closed a little over a decade ago. Building still sits there unused.
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Wow, it looks as though the staff and doctors could return any minute and start working again immediately. How sad for everyone who worked or received treatment there.
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another awesome story brother
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Thank you Todd!
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Just curious what county this hospital is in?
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Really reminds me. Of our local hospital that just shut down a couple years ago here in East TN. I had to Google to make sure it wasn’t the same hospital until I reread and saw “10 years ago”. Because it’s literally the same, people can drive to GA where they might not take Blue Cross/Blue Shield of TN, or drive the river road and go to Erlanger. Erlanger actually tried to put a bid on the local hospital and they said no, stating they’d rather have local Dr’s. Didn’t know we could be choosy..
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