Astria Regional's closure leaves Yakima without open heart surgery provider

YAKIMA, Wash — Astria Regional Center’s emergency room is now closed which puts more pressure on Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital.

Memorial could now see a 40-percent increase in patients. The hospital has two cath labs while Regional had three. But Regional was the only hospital in Yakima which provided open heart surgery.

Shelly Leedom, a cardiac nurse with Astria Regional, says this will make things even more diffi­cult in providing care for heart patients.