Lawrence Medical Center in Moulton will close its emergency room in May, with the hospital’s board chairman calling the decision ‘inevitable’ given financial strain and staffing shortages.

“It is simply not sustainable” to keep the 98-bed ER open, with over 99% of the patients coming in for outpatient services, said Gary Terry, board chairman for Lawrence Medical Center.

The medical center also operates a number of primary care clinics and an urgent care, which will all remain open.

In February, the medical center entered into a partnership with the Huntsville Hospital System. At the time, it was announced both inpatient and emergency department services would end, focusing instead on outpatient services like imaging, labs and physical therapy.

Inpatient services stopped operations in February.

Once new outpatient services are in place, the current hospital facility will be vacated, according to a news release.

“A recent facility assessment indicates the hospital building is beyond any reasonable hope of repair,” it reads. “Updating the hospital facility to current code requirements is prohibitively expensive.”

Terry said Huntsville Hospital will lead Lawrence Medical “in a new direction as we focus our resources on expanding high-quality outpatient care.”

Jeff Samz, CEO and President of Huntsville Hospital Health System, said that Lawrence Medical Center and Huntsville Hospital Health have finalized a 40-year lease agreement which shifts financial accountability and operational control to HH Health. Local taxes that are currently used to support the hospital will instead go toward a fund to build a new outpatient facility.

Current ER physicians will be moved to work shifts at Lawrence’s Urgent Care, also in Moulton.

Terry maintained that the local community “can still rely on Lawrence Medical Center for outpatient services at the current hospital campus and in LMC’s clinics. Our staff is dedicated, loyal and wants to continue to serve you.”