City Continues to Search for Buyers
At 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, February 18, 2015, the emergency room doors of Saint Catherine Regional Hospital in Charlestown, Indiana were locked indefinitely, and the medical center closed down all operations.
The news was shocking for many of the staff members at Saint Catherine, who were only informed about the decision on the prior day.
Sale Agreement Was Not Reached
Saint Catherine Regional Hospital, which is located 15 miles northeast of Louisville Kentucky, filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in 2012. That allowed for the hospital to continue regular operations as the hospital board sought out the best suited investor to purchase the struggling health facility.
Saint Catherine Regional Hospital is located in Clark County. The medical center opened in 1976.
In November of 2014, the Charlestown City Council approved funding of $450,000 to allow for the hospital to remain open while the hospital put itself on the auction block. In spite of several meetings of negotiations with Procure Health Group, there was no agreement reached between the two parties.
“Procure Health withdrew from the purchase of the hospital today due to conditions of the sale not being satisfactory to the buyer,” wrote Charlestown Mayor Bob Hall on his Facebook page.
Court Proceedings Hit Dead End
The bankruptcy proceedings had been taking place in the bankruptcy court in New Albany, Indiana. There was a bankruptcy auction planned for January 2015.
On the day before the closing, a scheduled meeting was to take place in the courthouse. At the conclusion of the day’s hearing, the official ruling put out was that Saint Catherine would close.
Patients Transferred to Other Facilities
All patients that still remained in the emergency room after the doors to the building were locked, were promptly transferred to other local hospitals.
“The hospital will remain open with the staff necessary to transfer patients to other facilities and then take the appropriate steps to close,” Hall wrote on the evening before the shut down. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the employees during this transition.”
City Will Still Look for Buyers
“It’s a sad day for the hospital and its employees, but the city will continue looking for new ownership,”said Hall, “We will continue to work towards restoring medical services to the community.”
Though the city will continue its search for a buyer, liquidation of its assets will begin immediately.
Once the hospital closed its doors, the only remaining hospital in the county is Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville.