Yadkin County Looks To State For Help To Re-Open Hospital

Yadkin County officials will seek help from the state to get the needed license to run the county's only hospital.

Yadkin Valley Community Hospital closed last week with little warning from administrators. The county owns the building but a private company leases and operates the hospital. That company was scheduled to run the facility through July while commissioners look for a permanent provider.

Commission chairman Kevin Austin says the hospital's unexpected closure has been stressful for residents, patients and the hospital's employees.

“We've worked diligently to get the best outcome we possibly could. And we're pretty satisfied with what we've been able to do so far and of course we're not going to be satisfied until the hospital re-opens…”

Austin says the timing of the re-opening will depend on a Wake County judge, who is expected rule Monday on a restraining order to keep the hospital running. As of now, it remains closed.

Yadkin County resident James Pearson attended the meeting. His regular doctor works there, and Pearson called the hospital's closure “devastating.”

“When I was 12 years old my mom got hired as an employee of Yadkin County Community Hospital and I've been walking the halls since then at 12. So it's a shock to know that I don't have a place to go.”

Yadkin County officials are negotiating with Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital in Elkin on a potential deal to run the hospital.