Alaska hospital to suspend all major surgeries

SITKA, Alaska (AP) – An Alaska hospital announced that it will suspend all scheduled and emergency surgeries, effective Feb. 28.

The Daily Sitka Sentinel reports the Sitka Community Hospital says the decision to terminate surgery is a result of staff departures, and the city’s mandate to limit operating expenses during negotiations of the final agreement with Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium.

The city has been negotiating with Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium for several months to take over the delivery of all health care services currently provided at the hospital, the hospital says.

Hospital CEO Rob Allen says Sitka Community Hospital will continue offering minor surgical procedures at Mountainside Family Healthcare, the hospital’s outpatient clinic.

Information from: Daily Sitka (Alaska) Sentinel, http://www.sitkasentinel.com/