Swedish is closing its Bainbridge Island Primary Care clinic as of May 14.

“Our Bainbridge staff have been honored to care for the community over the years,” a news release Monday says. “This decision was incredibly tough; however, ultimately needed to be made for Swedish’s long-term sustainability so that we can continue to provide high quality care for the greater Seattle and Puget Sound community.”

Swedish says it realizes it will be hard on doctors, nurses and staff, but it will also be tough on patients. It says it will help if it can.

”We recognize this will be a significant change, which is why we are committed to helping the community transfer care to different facilities as needed,” the release says.

To stay in the Swedish system, in recommends Swedish Downtown Seattle, Swedish Central Seattle, Swedish Capitol Hill Primary Care or Swedish First Hill Primary Care.

In addition, for those who would like to continue seeking their care on Bainbridge Island, both Virginia Mason Medical Center and CHI Medical Office are local options, it says.

According to its website, doctors at Swedish Bainbridge include: Mara Veronika Saulitis, Maureen Allison Koval, Richard James St Cyr, Thomas Ralph Monk, Sarah A Rice, Charles A. Nelson and nurse practitioners Erica Frigone Hickson and Sandra Kay Wieland.

It’s not the first major medical facility to close in BI. After about a handful of years, Harrison Medical Center, which included primary care, also closed.