Henry Ford Macomb Hospital In Warren To Close

WARREN (WWJ) - Henry Ford Health System has announced it will shut down Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in Warren with plans to convert the campus into a rehab center.

Henry Ford COO Bob Riney said this is a good move for business and for patients.

"In the next five to 10 years there will be at least 12 to 15 percent additional need for rehab," said Riney. "And it's not just about having in-patient rehab, but it's about having in-patient rehab that is totally connected to all the of rest of the care that is inside an organization."

So what does this mean for hospital employees?  Riney said the Warren staff will be given first dibs on hundreds of existing job openings.

"We're actually very optimistic that we will be able to redeploy or reassigned the vast, vast majority of employees at the Warren campus as it has close to go through the ultimate reconfiguration to an in-patient rehab center," he said.

Officials say the Warren hospital lost more than $70 million over five year and occupancy has averaged below 50 percent.

The hospital, which opened in the mid -960s as "Bi County," will close on March 31.