Reid Health delays HealthWorks center closure
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Reid Health will keep the HealthWorks Fitness Center in Connersville open while the Richmond-based hospital system looks for new local ownership.
A community business owner expressed interest in the center, Reid Health said, so the center will remain open through Sept. 30 to allow time for potential transition discussions.
“We understand how important the facility is to its members and the community. This is why we’ve entered into a discussion with a local business leader,” Jason Troutwine, vice president of Reid Health and president of the Reid Foundation, said in a news release. “Although there are no guarantees, we’re very optimistic and hopeful for a transition that allows the fitness center to continue under this new ownership.”
The center was slated to close on July 31 as part of a restructuring strategy to reduce costs and become more efficient. The health system’s annual financial gap is projected to be about $43 million.
Closure of the center was included in a number of cost-cutting measures announced last week. That also meant 25 jobs within the executive leadership and middle management teams were eliminated and the Employee Wellness, Sports Performance, and Massage Therapy departments were closed.
The IBJ’s John Russell cited a report last year from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform that said 14 of Indiana’s 54 rural hospitals are at immediate risk of closing because of continuing financial losses and lack of financial reserves to sustain operations.
The fitness center shares an address at 3542 Western Ave. with Reid Health Primary & Specialty Care and Reid OB/GYN.