COEUR d'ALENE - Citing declining enrollment in the past several years, Group Health Cooperative announced Monday it plans to close its Coeur d'Alene Medical Center on Nov. 4.

"We wanted really badly to keep that clinic open," Dr. Tom Schaaf, medical director for Group Health's medical centers in the Inland Northwest region, told The Press. "It's at the point it's just costing too much."

Group Health Cooperative, headquartered in Seattle, is a nonprofit health insurance company linked with doctors and patient-care clinics.

Schaaf said a "big contributor" to the declining enrollment has been an inability to sell the entire range of its products in Idaho.

Also, too few of its members were choosing primary care doctors at the center versus contracted doctors.

Of the 6,000 members in Kootenai County, about 4,200 chose a provider outside the center.

Also, Schaaf said, "Over time we were slowly losing employer groups."

Group Health has been leasing a total of 17,100 square feet of space on two floors at 1090 W. Park Place.

Though the medical center will close, Group Health said it will continue to offer health plan coverage in Kootenai County through its wholly owned subsidiary of Group Health Options Inc., an insurance company that lets patients choose their own doctor.

Group Health employs 30 medical professionals at the medical center and serves 3,200 patients, including 1,700 Group Health members and 1,500 patients with other insurance.

Employees of the medical center will be offered opportunities for employment at other Group Health locations.

Group Health has been a medical provider and employer in Coeur d'Alene since 1985.

Schaaf, in a press release, said, "We want to express our gratitude to the staff at our Coeur d'Alene medical center for the many years they have cared for patients in the community with skill and compassion. We will work hard to make sure our patients and employees are well cared for as we make this transition over the next five months."