Good Samaritan closing: What will happen to other local hospitals?

After officials announced Good Samaritan Hospital will close at the end of the year, many people are wondering: Is my preferred hospital going to close next?

The short answer: no.

While the hospital’s closure will impact at least 1,600 employees, Premier Health does not intend on closing any other facilities in the region any time soon, official said today. The health network — the largest private employer in the region — said the closure is “part of Premier Health’s new strategic plan.”

“Premier Health made this difficult but necessary decision partly in response to the changing national and local dynamics of health care,” company officials said.

» TRENDING NEWS: Good Samaritan Hospital closing: What we know now

Here’s what we know about other hospitals:

1. TOO CLOSE Premier said it was unsustainable to operate two hospitals within five miles of each other — with Miami Valley Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital both situated near the heart of downtown Dayton. Miami Valley Hospital will not be impacted by closures, but patients served at Good Sam will now be provided medical services at Miami Valley.

2. OTHER PREMIER FACILITIES Other Premier hospital will not be impacted. "Premier Health's strategic plan encompasses the entire organization and calls for continued investment in higher acuity services and critical programs at Atrium Medical Center. It also remains committed to ensuring Upper Valley Medical Center remains the leading ambulatory and surgically focused community hospital in its region," the company explained in a statement.

» MUST-READ COVERAGE: 5 things you need to know about Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton

3. KETTERING HEALTH NETWORK Kettering Health Network officials would not comment on the closure of Good Samaritan Hospital. Kettering Health Network has seven Dayton and Cincinnati area hospitals, including: Fort Hamilton Hospital, Grandview Medical Center, Greene Memorial Hospital, Kettering Behavioral Medicine Center, Kettering Medical Center, Soin Medical Center, Southview Medical Center and Sycamore Medical Center. A new hospital will also open in Troy, according to Kettering Health Network officials.

The last hospital to close in the region was St. Elizabeth Hospital, which was located in the Elizabeth Place complex — a nine-building medical center off Edwin C. Moses Boulevard. The complex was originally the home of St. Elizabeth Hospital, later called the Franciscan Medical Center. It was Dayton's oldest public hospital when it closed in 2000, resulting in the lay off of about 1,500 workers.

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