Sturgis Hospital announces closure, ending local healthcare services this week
Sturgis Hospital announced Tuesday it will cease operations later this week, closing after years of financial challenges that officials say left the organization unable to continue operating.
According to a statement released June 16, the hospital will stop seeing patients at noon on Friday, June 19. The closure will affect all hospital departments and services, including the emergency department, surgery services, laboratory services, medical imaging, outpatient clinics, physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation.
Sturgis Hospital announced it will cease operations later this week, closing after years of financial challenges that officials say left the organization unable to continue operating.
According to a statement released June 16, the hospital will stop seeing patients at noon on Friday, June 19.
Hospital leadership said the decision follows years of financial strain facing rural healthcare providers, citing declining reimbursement rates, rising operational costs, and a sustained decrease in patient use.
In the statement, hospital officials said leadership and the Board of Directors pursued multiple options to keep the hospital operating, including possible acquisitions and partnerships, but were unable to establish a sustainable long-term path forward.
“This decision was reached only after every reasonable option to continue operations was thoroughly explored,” the statement read.
The closure will affect all hospital departments and services, including the emergency department, surgery services, laboratory services, medical imaging, outpatient clinics, physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation.
Hospital officials said active patients with upcoming appointments will be contacted directly so appointments can be canceled and alternative care arrangements can be made.
Anyone experiencing a medical emergency should seek care at the nearest emergency department. In its statement, the hospital identified nearby hospitals in Three Rivers, Coldwater and LaGrange, Indiana, as alternative options for emergency care.
Patients seeking copies of their medical records can call 269-651-7824 or visit the hospital’s website to complete a release of information request.
Hospital leadership also thanked physicians, staff, volunteers, and community members for supporting the hospital throughout its history.
The closure raises immediate questions about healthcare access for Sturgis residents, particularly emergency care, as the city appears set to lose its only hospital.
Sturgis Mayor Frank Perez said the city was “saddened” by the announcement and acknowledged both the loss of healthcare access and the impact the closure will have on hospital employees and their families.
“Losing a local hospital is difficult for any community and impacts all facets of community life,” Perez said in a statement. “So too is the difficult impact on the many dedicated employees that will now be out of work and their families.”
Perez said the city is prepared to work with any future healthcare partners that may seek to bring medical services back to the community.
Watershed Voice also contacted Sturgis Hospital seeking additional information about what will happen to current and former patients, how medical records will be managed after closure, how many employees are expected to lose their jobs and what decision-making process led to the closure. Hospital officials did not respond before publication.
Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:05 p.m. to include a statement from Sturgis Mayor Frank Perez, which was received after the article was originally published.
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