Truman Medical Centers closes behavioral health emergency department

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Truman Medical Centers announced on Wednesday that it would immediately close its Hospital Hill facility for patients with acute mental-health crises.

TMC will fold the Behavioral Health Emergency Department, where there were 12 beds for patients, into its 47-bed emergency room. The Behavioral Health Emergency Department treats patients who are suicidal, possibly dangerous to others or suffering an acute psychiatric crisis.

The Hospital Hill facility was a state-run mental-health center until 2009, when TMC took it over. It has served an average of 5,000 patients a year since then.

Charlie Shields, president and CEO of TMC, says state and federal regulations triggered the hospital’s decision.

“The challenge was given to us by state and federal regulations saying you have to operate a behavioral health emergency department as if it was a hospital emergency department,” Shields tells The Pitch.

He added that there were no staff reductions associated with the closure.

“There’s no diminishment of inpatient capacity. There’s no diminishment of outpatient capacity,” Shields says.