HAMLET — The emergency room doors at Sandhills Regional Medical Center will be shutting for good in just six days.

FirstHealth, which owns both Sandhills and Richmond Memorial Hospital, recently announced that the Hamlet hospital’s emergency department will close March 6.

Emergency services will be relocated to the hospital in Rockingham, according to a statement from FirstHealth.

“After assessing emergency services on both campuses, we determined it is best to consolidate that service at Richmond Memorial Hospital,” John Jackson, president of both Richmond Memorial and Sandhills Regional, said in a statement. “The Sandhills Regional emergency department staff will join the RMH staff on the Richmond Memorial campus. This combined emergency department team will be capable of absorbing the additional volume of patients typically seen in the Sandhills emergency department.”

According to FirstHealth, patients in Hamlet seeking services for medical conditions such as colds, flu, strep throat and minor injuries now have access to the new walk-in clinic, FirstHealth Convenient Care, located on U.S. 74 Business, across the street from Sandhills Regional Medical Center and Richmond Community College.

FirstHealth announced the acquisition of Sandhills last October and officially brought it into its regional network of hospitals Dec. 1, making it the fifth in the system.

The others are FirstHealth Moore Regional in Pinehurst, FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial in Troy, FirstHealth Moore Regional-Hoke Campus in Raeford and FirstHealth Richmond Memorial in Rockingham. Richmond Memorial, which joined FirstHealth in 1999, operates as a division of FirstHealth Moore Regional.

Sandhills Regional Medical Center evolved from Hamlet Hospital, which first opened in 1915, according to the history on its website. The current location opened on Feb. 20, 2000.

Daily Journal file photo Sandhills Regional Medical Center, now owned by FirstHealth, will close its emergency department March 6.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_sandhillsRMC.jpgDaily Journal file photo Sandhills Regional Medical Center, now owned by FirstHealth, will close its emergency department March 6.

Staff report