“We've had serious concerns for the future of our community hospital, but we were caught completely off-guard by the recent news reports announcing the closing of Berwick Hospital,” president of SEIU Healthcare PA Matthew Yarnell said, according to The Times Leader. The SEIU represents healthcare workers at the hospital.

“We'll be working to get answers to pressing questions and connecting with local stakeholders to discuss finding a way to possibly save our hospital,” he added.

The closing will have a negative impact on local healthcare — as such closings have had in similar, smaller communities nationwide facing the challenge of collapsing rural hospital care.

“If the hospital does shut its doors for good, Berwick-area residents will be forced to drive almost 30 minutes to the next nearest acute care hospital — a situation that could have deadly consequences in a medical emergency,” according to an SEIU statement.

Even before COVID-19, hospital closings were rising in rural America, with 116 rural hospital closures from 2010 to 2019.

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