The Alaska Division of Well being has rejected a brand new $18 million emergency hospital facility in South Anchorage, saying in an evaluation that there isn’t sufficient demand for it.
In a public discover printed Friday, the state stated it won’t concern what is called a “certificates of want” for the power. Alaska is one in all 35 states that requires new hospitals and medical amenities to acquire permission from the state earlier than opening their doorways, however rejections are usually uncommon.
The brand new facility was deliberate by Alaska Regional Hospital, a for-profit hospital operated by Hospital Company of America.
Writing on Thursday to the hospital, Well being Commissioner Heidi Hedberg stated that Anchorage’s shrinking inhabitants and different demographic components point out “ a unfavourable emergency division therapy mattress want over the subsequent 5 years” in Anchorage.
As well as, emergency care is dearer than main care, pressing care or disaster care, she stated.
“Amongst key program objectives is the discount of emergency room visits and elevated utilization of preventative companies,” Hedberg wrote.
As deliberate by Alaska Regional Hospital, the ten,860-square-foot emergency heart would have included 12 emergency therapy rooms, a CT scanner, X-ray machine, cardiac displays and different tools.
In paperwork submitted in help of its certificates of want, the hospital stated that the inhabitants of South Anchorage is rising, and with it, demand for emergency companies.
The variety of emergency room visits at Alaska Regional Hospital is on the rise, the hospital stated.
However employees for the Division of Well being stated of their remaining evaluation that South Anchorage must be thought-about a part of Anchorage when contemplating demand for medical therapy.
Employees additionally recognized different issues with the proposal, together with the elevated expense and time concerned with transporting sufferers between a brand new South Anchorage constructing and town’s U-Med district, dwelling to Anchorage’s different hospitals.
The state’s resolution could possibly be appealed administratively. By e mail, Alaska Regional Hospital CEO Jennifer Opsut didn’t rule out that risk.
“Whereas we’re disillusioned with this resolution, we consider there’s a want for extra emergency care in our neighborhood and stay centered on discovering methods to reinforce our companies and produce our high quality care to extra Alaskans,” she stated. “We’re rigorously reviewing the suggestions supplied by the Division of Well being to find out our subsequent steps.”
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