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Posted: Jul 22, 2026 10:20 AMUpdated: Jul 22, 2026 11:02 AM
Ascension's Tanner Holt Addresses Nowata Hospital Issue
Tom Davis
We have been hearing the pleas from Nowata's Save Our Hopsital group urging the faclilty's owner, Ascenstion, to keep the hospital in their town the way it is.
Appearing on COMMUNITY CONNECTION, Tanner Holt with Ascension St John Jane Phillips met the situation head on saying that the Nowata Hospital is applying to transition from a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) to address unsustainable financial losses.
Holt outlined the reality and the challenges for the Nowata Hospital. He said, "The hospital has low patient volumes. The average daily inpatient census shows 4 patients per day while the ER show 7–10 patients per day." He added, The Nowata Hospital lost $4 million over the past six years with $1 million lost in the most recent year alone."
Holt explained that the Rural Emergeny Hospitals (REH) federal program was created 4 years ago specifically to keep rural hospitals from shutting down completely. Federal funding for an REH provides $3.5 million annually directly to Nowata Hospital or approximately $300,000 a month direct deposit. He said, "The funds cover ongoing operating costs to "stop the bleeding," not brand-new equipment or facility renovations."
Ascension says that while 24/7 ER and outpatient services will remain intact, inpatient and swing bed services will be eliminated under current federal regulations. Holt said, "Current federal law requires REH swing beds to be in a separate facility/wing (distict part), with a separate dedicated staff. He said that if federal legislation drops the "distinct part unit" requirement, they would gladly re-evaluate reintroducing swing beds.
Holt said, "While community passion for full hospital services is high, the alternative to this transition is complete facility closure. The REH transition acts as a crucial safety net to maintain emergency care in the community while stabilizing the hospital's financial health."
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