Interested parties will gather at the Reynolds County Hospital in Ellington Friday to discuss the scheduled closure of the facility, effective March 11.
The hospital is currently run by Southeast Healthcare. The hospital announced days ago that they would be closing their doors, barely a month from their announcement. The decision will leave locals as well as those visiting the area emergency medical attention an hour or more away.
Representative Paul Fitzwater has put together the meeting of stakeholders to take place at the facility beginning at 10 a.m. The hospital is being closed for lack of funds, according to Southeast Healthcare.
Senator Gary Romine will also be present, as will representatives of other local health care providers. The Missouri Hospital Association will be represented along with numerous business people, as will the state's Medicaid office.
Representative Fitzwater says he has personally invited the governor, and deputy chief of staff Harry Bozoian has assured constituents this is an important issue to the governor’s office. The meeting is open to the public.