Fort Gordon Hospital to End Inpatient Care, Shift to Outpatient Services

The Department of War has informed Congress that it will transform the Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon into an Ambulatory Care Center. Inpatient care will close for good, except for the Residential Treatment Facility.

The emergency room will become an Urgent Care Center. Operating rooms will remain open, but only for outpatient procedures.

"To sustain the critical skills of our military medical personnel, while assuring safe quality and timely access to care for our warfighters and all beneficiaries, the Department of War notified Congress of the intent to transition Eisenhower Army Medical Center (AMC) to an Ambulatory Care Center," Via said, per WRDW.

Between 30,000 and 40,000 people rely on this facility. It functions as a teaching hospital with 80 residents and employs roughly 1,500 people.

The agency will coordinate with its managed care support contractor and civilian hospitals nearby. Health care changes affect real lives, and the Department of War weighs these choices with great care.

In December, the hospital's chief informed employees that specific, congressionally approved operational decisions had not been determined or announced. Ossoff announced in January that a new provision in the National Defense Authorization Act increased oversight of efforts to downsize military medical facilities.

Rep. Rick Allen said in March that after touring the hospital and meeting with leadership, it was clear that cutbacks had been happening. He also said one key unanswered question was whether the changes were tied to a hiring and funding shortfall.

The recent decision to divert critical care patients to civilian network facilities is not related to these Service Change Requests.

Implementation could start as soon as September 1 if Congress does not act. Congress could have the final say and might alter the plan.