WARREN, Ohio - There's been a major development in the health care landscape in the Mahoning Valley as 30-day closure notices were issued for Trumbull Regional Medical Center (TRMC) and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital.

The last day for the facilities will be September 19.

A source provided 21 News with information from a meeting on the announcement.

The source said supervisors were notified of the impending closure during a 3 p.m. meeting Wednesday. 

The meeting leader told his staff that they will continue providing care to their patients over the next 30 days. He said there are still a lot of unanswered questions but noted that the hospital could be purchased up until day 29.

Warren City Hospital, the local group of investors looking to save Trumbull Regional, said that a statement will be sent out shortly to update their efforts to save the facility.

"The one complaint that we hear from people when hospitals do close is the need of services in the area for people to access care," explained Madeline Ashley with Becker's Hospital Review. "A lot of times hospitals are major economic drivers in the community because they supply jobs to people in the community."

Below is a statement provided to 21 News by Steward Marketing Director Alexa Polinsky: 

Steward Health Care has been actively working, along with its lenders and other key stakeholders, to sell or transition Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital to new operators. However, despite every effort made to attract qualified buyers, there have been no actionable offers received for Trumbull Regional or Hillside.

Therefore, due to our significant cash constraints we are now in the regrettable but unavoidable situation where the process of closing the facilities must begin. We remain hopeful we can find an alternative solution that would keep the hospitals open and preserve the jobs of our dedicated team members. We want to help save these hospitals and will continue to work with qualified bidders during this process.

In the meantime, we expect to commence an orderly closure process on or around September 19, 2024, in close coordination with the appropriate government agencies.

Before that time, we will work closely with patients and their families to help them find the best possible care alternative and provide the community with all the information they need about the closures and where they can go for care in the future. We will also provide support to our valued employees and health care professionals to assist with this transition.  

This is a challenging and unfortunate situation, but we will continue to keep patient safety and care at the forefront of everything we do. Further updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.

Michelle Day, Director of Communications for the Ohio Nurses Association said in an email to 21 News, "Staff at Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital were blindsided today by Steward Health System, LLC’s abrupt announcement of the hospital’s closure..."

“The closure of Hillside is a tragic result of greed-driven hospital executives, backed by private equity, who prioritize their yachts and private jets over patient care,” said Rick Lucas, BSN, RN, CCRN, ONA President and Executive Director. “This decision leaves our community without crucial rehabilitation services and forces our dedicated team of nurses and health professionals into unemployment due to Steward’s unchecked greed.”

Prospective buyers Warren City Hospital released a statement reacting to the closure notices:

"We're very disappointed in Steward's decision but still optimistic about our efforts to save and upgrade the hospital," said John T. Woods, secretary of the group, Warren City Hospital, and president of the Insurance Navigators health insurance agency in Warren.

"Trumbull Regional has a strong staff of doctors and employees. We are eager to work with them and the operating specialists who are looking to manage the hospital. It is still our intent to get the job done."

21 News spoke with the local representatives with the Ohio Nurses Association that work at Hillside Rehabilitation. They hope to be paid a few weeks after that 30-day closure, but they're still unsure what the future holds.

"If the hospital closes, we're being told we would get paid for 60 days," explained De Anna Fuchilla, Chair of the Hillside Registered Nurses Association. "So, that would be through October. As for placement, it's still fresh. We don't know if anybody would be able to go to Sharon Regional or if you'll have to look elsewhere."

The Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) also released the following statement:

The Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) and AFT, representing Hillside’s registered nurses, strongly condemn this decision and call on elected officials to take immediate steps to keep the hospital open.

“After meeting with the Ohio Governor’s and Attorney General’s office, it’s clear no one is safeguarding our community or patients, which must change,” said Rick Lucas, President of ONA. “Steward’s closure is the final blow in a seven-year history of depriving the region access to vital care. It’s time to hold Steward—and other bad actors in the healthcare industry—accountable.”

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff chimed in on the developments:

"We are deeply saddened by this news. We take seriously the potential loss of any health care provider, and we understand the deep connections that can be formed between a hospital and the community it serves.

"The corporate leadership of Steward Health Care must be held accountable to ensure they are actively working to support their local doctors while they work with patients and their families to find the best possible care alternative. While they have committed to do so, we will actively work with the local health care community to ensure they properly follow through on that pledge.

"Nevertheless, we are optimistic that area residents will still be able to access quality care close to home. As many local residents are aware, Mercy Health St. Joseph Hospital is located close by (1.5 miles away) and Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown (a large facility with more than 400 beds) is less than 15 miles away.

"We will continue to monitor this situation and provide whatever support we can for the region and its health care providers."

According to its website, Trumbull Regional has 346 beds to take care of patients in the Valley. TRMC is also a designated Level 3 Trauma Center and a Chest Pain v6 accreditation, which is the highest level accreditation from the American College of Cardiology.

Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital is a 69-bed medical rehab center that treats patients with a disabling injury or illness, according to the facility's website. Patients who receive care at Hillside could be recovering from a variety of illnesses or medical issues including strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations and others.

Mercy Health issued a statement reacting to the announcement:

Mercy Health is committed to serving our patients and extending the compassionate ministry of Jesus by improving the health and well-being of communities in the Mahoning Valley. As such, we will continue providing high quality, compassionate care, now and in the future, regardless of changes in the local health care landscape.

In light of Steward Health Care System's difficult decision to close Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital, Mercy Health is prepared and stands ready to help offer a smooth transition for patients during this time of change.

Further, Mercy Health is always recruiting top talent for key roles within our ministry, including positions in nursing, nursing support, imaging (all modalities), surgical tech, surgical assistants, sterile processing techs, lab professionals (all specialties), respiratory therapists and medical assistants. Mercy Health is also hiring for many entry level positions. These entry level roles are ideal for individuals interested in advancing their health care career, as Mercy Health's competitive education benefits give employees the opportunity to further their education with tuition costs primarily covered by Mercy Health.

We will have regular "Open House" hiring events at our facilities in the coming weeks, including two this week at St. Joseph Warren Hospital. The first event will be tomorrow, August 22 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday, August 23 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. These events are designed to give interested candidates a forum to network with recruiters and managers.

Becker's Health Review believes the 30-day notice is a tight timeline. Steward hospitals located in Florida are in the process of being bought for over $400 million, a similar purchase that would be essential for one or both hospitals to continue operations.

"That's just to kind of give you an example of what maybe some of the costs might be associated with," Ashley added.

"Steward has been plagued with bad decisions and choices amongst nationwide higher-ups," De Anna Fuchilla added. "This is so fresh so there is nothing there about moving to a new location or what jobs are available to us."

Hillside staff told 21 News they'll continue reporting to work as a new buyer could save their jobs. 170 people are employed at Hillside.

"We're very sad and it is upsetting. There is a lot of history at Hillside and we have a strong reputation in the community. Unfortunately, we're going to deal with the cards that we're dealt right now and look out for our patient's well-being as best as we can," Fuchilla concluded. 

Employees will meet with human resources for job relocation assistance if it comes down to the wire.