According to an Aspirus press release, the move is to "support the needs for additional staffing and resources at its hospitals in the even of a surge of COVID-19 patients."



CEO Matt Heywood provided further clarification Thursday at a press conference. He said this is a way to conserve PPE, and make sure that potential COVID patients aren't interacting with other patients. Heywood believes its smart to think long-term.



"We looked at the clinic closures as not just temporary, near-term, 'let's figure out how we're going to deal with the next two months,' but how do we ensure that we can provide the care we need for our patients and our communities for the next 12 to 18 months," said Heywood.



Heywood added revenue is down at those sites because fewer patients are coming in.



The company has also had to spend a lot of money on ventilators

