ALBANY - Albany residents will need to adjust to life without a hospital in their town in the new year. Catholic Health Initiatives announced back in September that they're closing both the clinic and the hospital on December 31st.

Albany Hospital Administrator Tressa Schmidt says some residents have expressed concern about losing the E-R.

It will definitely be a change without the hospital. What we hear from the community more specifically is the emergency room. Although, with the clinic, we do have an urgent care, so we'll have those extended hours still after January.

Schmidt says they've also been hearing from residents concerned about ambulance services .

There was also some concern over the ambulance service. Melrose has done a wonderful job coming to the community and having open public forums with them talking to the community. That has really been our biggest issue at this point.

Melrose Hospital is also a CentraCare facility. Schmidt says CentraCare is going to lease the clinic space and open on January 4th.

They'll use the existing clinic space, along with radiology, which is actually considered on the hospital side. So they'll use that space, along with one wing of the hospital, which will be used for outreach.

Schmidt says there are 85 employees that work at the hospital and clinic right now. CentraCare has tried to retain as many employees as possible.

Schmidt says Albany has had a hospital in town since 1969. CHI has owned it since 1989. They made the decision to close the hospital because they were averaging less than two patients per day, on average.

Schmidt says she's staying in Albany, with a new title of Site Manager.

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