Valley Medical Center, which serves patients throughout South King County, announced a sweeping reorganization this week that will close clinics, citing ongoing financial instability and reimbursement challenges.
The changes will result in closures in Kent, Covington, and Renton, as well as workforce restructuring affecting more than half of its staff.
The cuts come as Valley Medical Center reports a year-to-date operating loss of $25 million.
“These are very tough decisions that impact people’s lives, both our employees and the community we care for, and that is not something we take lightly,” Valley Medical Center said in a statement. “While incredibly difficult, these changes are necessary for Valley’s future stability.”
Among the closures are Kent Primary Care, Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic, Occupational Health Services, and the Pediatric Neurology & Sleep Medicine clinic, all shutting down June 27. Renton Landing Urgent Care will close immediately, with services ending May 12. Other services, such as Valley Women’s Healthcare in Covington, will consolidate operations into Renton and Auburn locations.
A key component of the restructure involves shifting most part-time roles to full-time positions, a change affecting more than 50% of Valley’s staff. The exact number of positions being eliminated remains unknown, as employees may rebid for new roles, relocate, or shift to support other departments.
The medical center emphasized it is coordinating patient referrals to other local providers, aiming to mitigate service disruptions.
“Valley is not alone in making these hard decisions, as systems across the country are facing similar decisions,” the statement continued. “We must focus on serving those we can, rather than attempting to serve everyone at the cost of compromising care for all.”
Over the past four months, Valley has already reduced leadership by 13% and workforce by 8%. Inpatient pediatric care will cease due to low volumes, averaging only four patients per day, with future inpatient needs directed to regional children’s hospitals.
The hospital’s Board of Trustees has endorsed the plan. Notifications to affected staff began May 12, with closures and consolidations rolling out through late June.
| LOCATION | CLINIC UNIT | ACTION | CLOSURE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | Kent Primary Care | Closing | June 27 |
| Covington | Medication Management – Covington | Partially consolidating to Renton | June 20 |
| Covington | Valley Women’s Healthcare – Covington | Partially consolidating to Renton & Auburn | June 27 |
| Renton | Renton Landing Urgent Care | Closing | May 12 |
| Renton | Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic (satellite services) | Contract ends, closing | June 27 |
| Auburn | Valley Women’s Healthcare (receiving consolidation from Covington) | Receiving consolidation from Covington location | Ongoing |
