BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — Blount Memorial has announced that it has stopped taking inpatient admissions for behavioral health services.
The hospital has also stopped taking admissions to its intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs for behavioral health.
"As the health care industry continues to see a tremendous increase in the number of people who need care in an outpatient setting or who need immediate stabilization support in emergency departments, hospitals and health systems across the country, including us, are trying to adjust the way care is delivered," said Josh West, the Blount Memorial Senior Communications Manager.
Health leaders told 10News that losing 16 inpatient beds likely won't make much of a difference in the long term.
"In Knoxville, there are a number of hospitals that are about to open," said Jerry Vagnier, CEO of the McNabb Center. "[Blount Memorial's] 16 beds closing will probably not have as big an impact as some people might think."
East Tennessee Behavioral Health is set to open in "early 2022," according to its website. Plans show 134 beds will be available.
The Knoxville Center for Behavioral Medicine is also set to open in 2022, according to its website. Plans show it will bring 68 beds to the community.
A psychiatric center is also planned for the former St. Mary's site, although the timetable and the number of beds offered there are still unclear.
Vagnier said all those resources will help fill some of the gaps in the community.
"If somebody is a danger of hurting themselves or unable to care for themselves, they really need to be in a hospital type setting," he said. "[The McNabb Center] has seen somewhere in the neighborhood of 10% to 20% bump from prior years and I think that's just indicative of the stress people are under."
He said no matter what kind of help you need, it's often just a phone call away.
"Treatment is effective. People can get well and they can recover from these kinds of conditions," Vagnier said. "In the absence of treatment, sometimes they just exacerbate and get worse."
Blount Memorial is adjusting to the increasing need for behavioral health services by focusing its resources and efforts on expanding outpatient care and immediate stabilization support in its emergency department.
By doing this, the hospital predicts it can help more people.