LifeCare is closing one of its Wilkinsburg hospitals in September, two months after parent company Hospital Acquisitions LLC filed for bankruptcy. The hospital system operates two other Pittsburgh-area locations — a behavioral health facility in Wilkinsburg and a hospital in Natrona Heights — which will remain open.
More than 230 full and part-time employees will be impacted by the long-term care facility's closure.
In a statement, a LifeCare spokesperson said the 85-bed hospital on Penn Avenue has been operating under capacity for a while, caring for an average of 18 patients per day. The company said it will help patients transition out of the facility.
The staff at the hospital is not unionized, according to LifeCare. The company said those affected by the change are encouraged to apply for positions at other locations.
"The closing of LifeCare hospital in Wilkinsburg is definitely a loss for our community. I'm hopeful that not only will it be a smooth transition for all, but that another community resource will be able to utilize that space," said Wilkinsburg Mayor Marita Garrett.
*This story was upsated at 2:35 p.m. on Monday, July 22, 2019 to include comment from Garrett.
