Cook Children’s Northeast Hospital will close April 20 to transition to an ambulatory surgical center named Cook Children’s Surgery Center, the health care system has announced.
Cook Children’s Health Care System said in a news release Feb. 21 that the transition was the result of a late 2017 memo from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) defining the overnight census requirement to operate as a hospital.
“Cook Children’s Northeast Hospital, located at 6316 Precinct Line Road in Hurst, Texas, does not meet the census requirement and will no longer be able to operate as a hospital,” the release said. “As such, the board which oversees Cook Children’s Northeast Hospital has elected to change the license to an ambulatory surgical center (ASC).”
On April 23, Cook Children’s will assume ownership and operation of the urgent care clinic, imaging center and draw station and begin operations for the ambulatory surgery center on May 1.
“The new mandate and change in business model will also mean a reduction in staff of more than 150 people,” Cook Children’s said.
The ambulatory surgery center will continue as a joint venture between Cook Children’s, NueHealth and physician investors but emergency services and inpatient care will no longer be offered at the Hurst location, the announcement said.
Patients in need of emergency care can still be seen 24/7 at Cook Children’s Medical Center in downtown Fort Worth. For urgent care needs the weekend of April 21-22, patients will be redirected to Cook Children’s Urgent Care facilities in Southlake, Alliance or Fort Worth.