Aspirus Health is constructing a new hospital in Ontonagon to replace its current facility, the system said in a news release. Planning is in the early stages, but construction is expected to begin in spring 2022 on a new $15.8 million facility on the site of the existing Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital.
While planning for the new hospital moves forward, one immediate change is the closure of the Aspirus Ontonagon Skilled Nursing Facility, pending state and regulatory approval. The decision to close the facility comes after a multidisciplinary team’s thorough analysis of declining occupancy trends, staffing challenges due to COVID-19 impacts and other factors.
Volumes at the Aspirus Ontonagon Skilled Nursing Facility have fallen by 47% during the past nine years and the facility has become more reliant on contract staff to fill open positions. These factors led to the analysis of the long-term viability of the facility.
That closure impacts 29 staff members, who Aspirus is working with to find additional opportunities within its system wherever possible. The health system is offering financial and employee assistance support to help with the transition. Read more.
