Ascension Via Christi is moving forward with plans to acquire the former Rock Regional Hospital facility in Derby, Kansas, a site that has been closed since early January.
Rock Regional shut down after a federal bankruptcy judge allowed the hospital’s eviction to proceed over more than $15 million in unpaid rent, ending months of financial and legal challenges for the facility.
Via Christi announced it intends to purchase the property and reopen it as part of its regional healthcare network. The hospital system says the move would help restore local healthcare access for Derby residents and surrounding communities.
Officials say the acquisition is still in progress and the organization must complete regulatory approvals before the hospital can reopen. Once finalized, Via Christi plans to evaluate the facility and determine which services could be offered there.
Rock Regional opened in 2019 but struggled financially after the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2025.
City leaders in Derby have said the hospital was an important resource for residents and have expressed hope that the facility could eventually return to operation under new ownership.