GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. — The sudden closure of the Santa Cruz Valley Hospital in Green Valley last week has some former patients worried about what it will mean for people who need urgent care.
Lisa Cogan is one of those former patients, she knows all too well how important the hospital was for the region. Recently, while hiking Madera Canyon, she fell and broke her ankle. It was a serious injury that required surgery, she suffered heavy bleeding.
Cogan said despite asking medics to take her to Tucson they told her she couldn't waste any time getting to a hospital. They took her to Santa Cruz Valley Hospital. She worries what could have been if the hospital wasn't there.
"Especially when you have an emergency like that you want that care close by," Cogan said.
The hospital officially discontinued services on June 30 at noon, according to the facility's website.
We also spoke to Betty Finley who was almost in tears over the hospital closing. She worries about what the elderly population will do.
"A lot of people it's a matter of life and death. Especially, if it's a heart attack or a stroke it's just terrible," she said.
The 49-bed hospital appears to have closed due to financial hardship. The move came soon after a long-negotiated deal to have TMC take over fell through.
Now, around 300 employees are left without jobs. On June 27 the hospital issued a federally required WARN act. The act requires a 60-day notice of any impending mass layoffs, per the act employees should be paid through Aug. 20.
The sudden closure isn't only impacting patients but first responders trying to get patients immediate care.
The Tubac Fire District is now in the process of identifying how the closure will increase its response times.
Deputy Fire Chief Ben Guerrero said more than half of their regular transports would be brought to Santa Cruz Valley Hospital but now the closest option is the Northwest Hospital location in Sahuarita. With distance and traffic delays he fears that could greatly increase their average 90-minute turnaround time and tie up their limited number of units.
"What can we do right? We do the best we can, we get our patients transported to the most appropriate facility. We have to become more efficient," Guerrero said.
It's unclear what may become of the building where the hospital was located, it's clear many residents would like to see another hospital take its place.
Editor's Note: Chorus Nylander of KVOA News in Tucson wrote this report.
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