Fulton Medical Center announces hospital closure by Sept. 22

Fulton Medical Center is a 37-bed, acute-care facility. Emergency medicine, general surgical procedures and several specialty services can be accommodated. (Jenny Gray/For the News Tribune)
Fulton Medical Center is a 37-bed, acute-care facility. Emergency medicine, general surgical procedures and several specialty services can be accommodated. (Jenny Gray/For the News Tribune)

Fulton Medical Center announced Monday that the hospital will cease operations and close by Sept. 22, according to a news release.

The 37-bed hospital notified its 158 employees Monday morning.
 
"After careful consideration and in light of the challenges facing rural hospitals in today's healthcare environment, we have made the difficult decision to close Fulton Medical Center," said FMC Chief Executive Officer Mike Powel in the news release.

He continued: "We are deeply grateful for the dedicated efforts of Mayor LeRoy Benton and the Fulton City Council, as well as Presiding Commissioner Gary Jungermann and the County Commission, who for several months have worked tirelessly with us to pursue every possible path in an effort to make the hospital sustainable." 

The news release lists several factors that contributed to the decision to close FMC, including:

  • Low patient volumes that made financial sustainability impossible, despite $1.8 million in capital improvements
  • An old physical plant in Fulton that needs extensive and expensive repairs and upkeep that officials could not justify based on low patient volumes
  • The inability to expand FMC to provide additional operating revenues
  • The inability to provide a new care delivery model due to denial of a Certificate of Need application by the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee necessary to expand the FMC clinical footprint.

"Our first priority today, and in the next two months, will be ensuring continuity of care for our patients and supporting the employees of Fulton Medical Center," Powell said in the news release.