Area hospital closing this fall

An announcement from Commonwealth Health today that First Hospital in Kingston will be closing its doors and affiliated outpatient treatment offerings as of October 30. It was described as a "difficult decision by officials" who say difficulty in maintaining adequate staffing levels, is one factor in the decision. Another was putting a hold on new admissions after an incident back in June. They also stated that First Hospital will remain open to transition the facility and services should a new operator be identified before the closure date. First Hospital has been open since 1983.