After years of low patient volume and financial losses, the Halifax Regional board of directors voted to permanently close its Wildwood Clinic located at 2053 River Road in Henrico.

Closing the Wildwood Clinic was extremely difficult, but the declining financial picture had to be addressed,” said Will Mahone, president, Halifax Regional. “As the leading provider of health care in our area, we constantly have to evaluate how to best to meet the needs of the entire community we serve and do so in the face of declining reimbursements and a volatile healthcare regulatory landscape.”

A review of operating expenses and patient activity indicate that over the past four years, Wildwood Clinic has averaged 9 patient visits per day.  In order to break even about 26 patient visits per day was needed.

In late October, Halifax Regional temporarily closed the clinic as a result of an unexpected provider shortage. Administrators quickly mobilized and re-opened the clinic on a twice-weekly schedule to address patients’ immediate concerns until a long-term plan determining the clinic’s future could be decided by the board.

Thursday, December 20 will be the last day of service at the clinic. Notification letters were mailed to all patients of the clinic and employees affected by the closure will be re-assigned to other clinics or departments within Halifax Regional.

“The board needed to take action and make a concrete decision regarding the future of the Wildwood Clinic,” said, Vernon Bryant, board chair, Halifax Regional.  “After thorough evaluation and analysis of the operating expenditures to keep the clinic open, the board had a tough but necessary decision to make.”