Ascension Via Christi will cease operations at its emergency department in Fort Scott on Wednesday, Dec. 20. This decision was made after a thorough analysis of trend data, patient census, and the current and future challenges and opportunities facing this facility.
Over the past several years, a multidisciplinary team that includes Ascension Via Christi clinical and operational leaders have been working together to understand the current operating environment at the Emergency Department in Fort Scott. This department has seen a steady decline in visits and its overall average daily census. These factors, coupled with other economic challenges, have limited the emergency department’s ability to continue operations.
“After exploring the options available, it was clear that this was the only option for us. There are other providers in the region positioned to serve the residents of Fort Scott and neighboring communities. These providers will help us ensure continuity of care for our patients as we approach closure,” says Drew Talbott, president of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg.
Ascension Via Christi is committed to supporting associates, patients and community members through this transition.
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About Ascension Via Christi
In Kansas, Ascension Via Christi operates seven hospitals and nearly 80 other sites of care and employs approximately 6,200 associates. In FY2023, Ascension Via Christi provided more than $65 million in community benefit programs. Serving Kansas for more than 135 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the leading non-profit and Catholic health system in the U.S., operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 145 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.ascension.org.