140 year of Shriners

140 year of Shriners

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Six Shriners Hospital facing potential closure



Rob Kauder / Internet Content Manager, KXLY.com

SPOKANE - With a budget deficit impacting all 22 of its hospitals, the Shriners Hospitals for Children system is considering closing six of its hospitals including their hospital here in Spokane.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ralph Semb, notified the hospital board last week that the system's 22 hospitals are facing a budget deficit. The board is looking at several options for recovering from their deficit including shutting down six of their 22 hospitals.

One of the six being considered for closure is the Spokane hospital, which employs 172 employees and sees approximately 8,500 to 9,000 patients annually from Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Canada and Mexico.

If the Shriners Hospital in Spokane is closed the nearest Shriners hospitals are in Portland, Oregon and Salt Lake City.

MassLive.com in Massachusetts identifies the Shriners Hospital in Springfield as one of the other hospitals threatened with potential closure, citing underperformance as the reason six hospitals - including Spokane's - were chosen.

A final decision on how the hospital system will manage its deficit is scheduled to be voted on at their next national meeting to be held this July.

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