Chesterfield‑based St. Luke’s Health System will close its 143‑bed Des Peres Hospital at 2345 Dougherty Ferry Road on Aug. 1, blaming persistently low patient volumes and mounting operating expenses. The move comes seven years after the nonprofit bought the campus from Tenet Healthcare and underscores the financial strain that has dogged community hospitals since the pandemic.
“Our aim is long‑term sustainability,” the system said Monday, noting that outpatient clinics on the 43‑acre Des Peres campus — including two medical office buildings and an urgent‑care center — will stay open. Some caregivers will transfer to St. Luke’s 493‑bed flagship in Chesterfield, while others will receive severance and job‑training help.
Why St. Luke’s says financial pressures leave Des Peres Hospital unsustainable
Though Des Peres generated 84.3 million dollars in revenue in the fiscal year that ended June 30 2023, it spent 95.2 million dollars to keep the lights on. By contrast, the Chesterfield hospital recorded a 62.4 million‑dollar surplus that same year. Inflation, labor shortages and delayed insurer payments have widened the gap, executives say.
| Facility | Beds | FY 2023 Revenue | FY 2023 Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Luke’s Chesterfield | 493 | $644.3 M | $581.9 M |
| St. Luke’s Des Peres | 143 | $84.3 M | $95.2 M |
“Every percentage point matters when margins are razor‑thin,” one administrator stressed. Who ends up feeling the squeeze? Area patients could face longer drives for inpatient care, yet the system argues that consolidating services will ultimately protect quality.
What patients and nearly 4,700 St. Luke’s employees should know right now
- Emergency and inpatient services in Des Peres will cease at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 1.
- Existing clinic appointments remain on the books unless patients are contacted.
- Staff who decline reassignment will be offered severance and career‑transition counseling.
- Medical records stay accessible through the MyChart portal.
Wondering whether your upcoming surgery is affected? Call the transition hotline at 314‑205‑6090.
How recent clinic cuts foreshadowed today’s announcement and what comes next
In January 2024 St. Luke’s shuttered six specialty clinics — from pediatric inpatient beds to a plastic‑surgery office — as part of its “ONE St. Luke’s” overhaul. Today’s step, leaders insist, is the last major contraction before the organization shifts to targeted growth in ambulatory and virtual care across more than 30 remaining locations.
The Des Peres property, assessed at 36 million dollars by St. Louis County, now becomes a wildcard. Options range from selling the site to repurposing portions for post‑acute care. A final decision is expected later this year.
For now, St. Luke’s says its mission of “compassion and excellence” endures — just on a leaner footprint. Whether that promise satisfies displaced patients and workers will become clear after the Aug. 1 shutdown.