Скачать или смотреть Shriners Hospitals for Children to close Tampa-based children's clinic after 35 years

Shriners Children's Florida, known for pediatric orthopedic treatment, will close after 35 years in the Tampa Bay area.

As healthcare has evolved from inpatient care to outpatient-focused models of care, Shriners will transition portions of its care to local and state affiliates, the nonprofit said in a statement.

Shriners Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Mel Bower says there will be layoffs, but did not specify how many people will lose their jobs.

Bower adds the decision was made jointly between the local board in Tampa, as well as the national board for Shriners.

Locally, the nonprofit is working on a potential care pathway to maintain a level of specialized care in the Tampa Bay area. Bower says the closure and partnering with affiliates will allow more children across the region to receive services in the future.

The planned transition is set to begin on Apr. 1 and will continue to redistribute services for several months.

The Shriners Children's healthcare system will remain headquartered in Tampa, as it has been for more than 40 years. The Shriners Children's Genomics Institute will remain at its current location at the University of South Florida's campus, according to a statement.