Timeline Uncertain, But Search For New Yadkin Hospital Provider Goes On

Yadkin County commissioners met behind closed doors for almost three hours Wednesday as they searched for a new provider for its closed community hospital.

The previous owner abruptly shut down the hospital in May with two months left on the lease. The move forced Yadkin residents to go to facilities in other counties for their health care.

Kevin Austin is the board chairman. He says he's not certain when the hospital will reopen, but he's confident a provider can be found.

“We expect the future to be bright and we believe ultimately we will have better services over what we had in the past,” he says.

No contracts have been signed and those details remain confidential.

James McGrath is a family physician at the hospital who says he  hopes it will reopen and he can go back to work there. He says his patients are hoping for the same thing.

“Well, they're frustrated," McGrath says. "And the ones I've spoken with have indicated that their inclination is to not immediately transfer to another provider just yet, that they're willing to wait it out for a couple of months as well.”

Commissioners did not take any official action after the closed session.