LACOMBE, La. - It's called the Louisiana Heart Hospital, but people from small communities near it have been coming there for everything.
"It's always been great care over here for my parents,” said Deanna Brown from Mandeville.
Diana Gros said she comes for just about everything.
"I come for my back, I come for my kidneys,” said Gros.
Now many are in disbelief that their hospital will be closing down in about a month.
"Like now we're going to have to go where? Covington? Slidell? This is really a good hospital,” said Gros.
Administrators said the hospital had to close because it was operating at a loss. In a statement, the hospital's executive officer wrote: "Despite strong quality rankings and recent volume growth, Louisiana Heart Hospital faced significant financial challenges in recent years."
And the news is even more upsetting for employees.
"When you hear Louisiana Heart Hospital, you hear family,” said Amanda Corcoran, a nursing assistant.
She’s not sure what she’ll do next, right now her concerns are for her work family, and patients.
“You know they care and our patients reiterate that to us, “You know we’ve gone to so many different hospitals you know my mom had her left knee replaced and you know all I see are smiling faces and help, and you all are so nice,” said Corcoran.
And just across the street, business operators have a new concern, what will this do to the economy?
"There's not too much here that's why it's a shame they're closing down.
St. Tammany Parish leaders are hopeful that potentially another medical group will come in to take over, although they say they don’t have much say in private business.
"It is a big impact to our parish I won't deny that, but we will do everything to make that impact as small as it can [be]."
That means possibly helping workers find new jobs, in the meantime, the hospital will begin winding down its operations.
"You know there's so many jobs that could be created just with this little hospital and to see it close would be horrible, would be disheartening."
WWL-TV tried to contact the hospital to find out exactly how many employees will be affected, but they have not gotten back to us at the time of this posting. Physicians and clinics affiliated with the hospital are expected to remain in business.