Officials: Hospital To Become Outpatient Facility By 2018

LAUREL, Md. (AP) -- Officials say Laurel Regional Hospital will be converted into a new $24 million outpatient medical center by 2018.

Officials from Dimensions Healthcare System, which owns the hospital, said Friday that their board voted to turn Laurel Regional into an ambulatory facility.

Laurel Mayor Craig Moe says the decision was made in closed-door sessions without input from the community or local elected officials.

Dimensions Healthcare says the change was seen as the best way to stop the multi-million dollar losses the hospital has seen in recent years.

Officials say the new facility will provide 30 inpatient beds and would continue to provide emergency services, outpatient surgery and diagnostic services currently offered by Laurel Regional.

Dimensions Healthcare says it will try to minimize job loss by reassigning some employees to other facilities.