Tyler Hospital to End Acute Inpatient, Surgical and Emergency Room ServicesFree Access


Officials at Tyler Memorial Hospital announced today (July 26) plans to transition operations at the Tunkhannock facility to focus on outpatient services and ending emergency room services after 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 23, 2021.

Admissions for acute inpatient care and surgical services will stop earlier.

Healthcare resources to help people get well and live healthier will remain in place locally. The facility will begin operating as an urgent care and outpatient clinic on Oct. 24, offering treatment for minor illnesses and non-life-threatening injuries. It will also offer physicals, immunizations and outpatient services such as diagnostic imaging and lab draws.

Commonwealth Health Emergency Medical Services (CHEMS) will continue to station an ambulance on-site for timely response to emergencies and facilitating any needed transfers.

Meetings were held with the PA Department of Health to discuss focusing facility operations on the highest level of services the community has demonstrated it wants to use.

Despite investments in the Tyler Memorial Hospital facility and equipment to provide for growth, efficiencies for staff and improved care for patients so people can access services close to home, community usage has steadily declined over the past four years—even at the height of the pandemic.

Many of Tyler’s ED patients suffer from illnesses and nonlife-threatening injuries that can be appropriately treated by an urgent care center or physician’s office.

Of the patients who need inpatient care, many require specialized treatment that Tyler does not provide; such patients are stabilized, then transferred to one of the larger acute care hospitals in Scranton or Wilkes-Barre.

Discussions with the state have included potentially operating a freestanding emergency department with two supporting inpatient beds for observation, but the state requires 10 inpatient beds to support an emergency room.

The average daily inpatient census at Tyler Memorial Hospital has been less than 10 patients since 2013. Tyler officials noted that they will continue to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Health on alternate options for access to care for the community they serve.

Acute inpatient, surgery and emergency care are readily available at Moses Taylor Hospital, Regional Hospital of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. As part of the Commonwealth Health network, the new urgent care and outpatient clinic will maintain a strong relationship with them.

Every caregiver at Tyler Memorial Hospital is valued for the important part they play in caring for patients. Commonwealth Health will work to retain as many employees as possible to staff the new urgent care and outpatient clinic and offer opportunities for positions at other network facilities.

11 responses to “Tyler Hospital to End Acute Inpatient, Surgical and Emergency Room Services”

  1. Joseph Yakoski says:

    Thanks for nothing CHS. You closed down our family hospital with your greed. Now, emergencies need to travel to Scranton or Wilkes-Barre, quite a distance.

    • Janet Fish says:

      They need to take the C out of their name because they’re Obviously Not very Community oriented.

  2. Darcy says:

    Wow. Talk about being greedy. You really have to take away our emergency facilities and rooms. Just to go to Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.

  3. Noreen Toomey says:

    Good going CHS . You made it all about the money and not about patient care. GREED won.

  4. Jane says:

    I am sad to say this does not surprise me. With the exception of the long term staff i was always happy to see, the “new staff” that work there now are rude, obnoxious, had NO bedside manner, and just assumed you came in for drugs. Often did NOT follow protocols and pushed you out as fast as they could. We had to travel to geisinger wyoming valley to get treated like a human, have our concerns addressed and get treatment. Nope not surprised at al

  5. barbara moule says:

    it all boils down to money folks. they really don’t care about the health and welfare of the citizens. thanks for nothing…

  6. Mrs. Frey says:

    If the money isn’t there, they cannot possibly operate as they have been. It doesn’t matter how much anyone “cares”… caring doesn’t pay the bills.

  7. Tammy Conway says:

    I think there making a big mistake but who am I to speak my mind ,bad move

  8. Bill says:

    First step in an effective shut down. As others have said it’s cash flow first. We can get bandaids at CVS at a better price since that’s all they plan for

  9. J.C. Montgomery says:

    It’s tragic, no doubt…but do you hear yourselves?
    “Greed”…”all about the money”…”not community oriented”…Let me ask all of you this; can YOU run your household on no money?

    Instead of complaining, create a community task force. Research what other small communities have done in similar situations and be proactive in finding a solution instead sitting back on your heels and doing nothing more than placing blame.

    Put all that energy into being part of the solution not the problem.

    REMEMBER!

    Hospitals, Doctors, clinics, etc are A BUSINESS…no different than Wal-Mart. If you stopped shopping at Wal-Mart, do you think they would stay open as a courtesy to the community?

  10. Geraldine M Zionkowski says:

    Our community needs access to a local ER. Why is having 10 beds available for ER patients not an option? Will the Urgent Care department have the ability to intubate and ventilate, begin cardiac drugs, insert central lines in extreme emergencies who show up at your door and stabilize for transport to an Acute Care facility? In many cases critical patients will not survive the 1 hour trip in the back of an ambulance. Our community deserves better. You are placing this region back 90 years when there was no hospital. I understand why you need to change from your present situation. I know the census has been way down. I know you need cash flow to operate. However, there has got to be a better solution concerning the closing of our ” lifeline ” ER. I am getting older and thought our “Tyler” would always be there when I needed it. I dedicated 33 years as an RN to Tyler Hospital and considered the staff family. I am very upset and frightened. What can our community do to change your mind about the ER?

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