Update From Interim CEO John Jacobson About Discontinuation Of Labor & Delivery Services
I want to provide more details regarding the recent announcement about
discontinuing inpatient and outpatient obstetrical services.
First, this was not an easy decision for our hospital and county
leaders. We’ve been proud to share in the joy of welcoming babies with
their moms and families over the years.
Unfortunately, we’ve experienced declining OB volumes for the past
decade. We made this very difficult decision based on the fact that
nearly 50% of OB patients living in zip codes closest to our hospital
chose to deliver at other birth centers outside of our immediate
community. On average, our unit is delivering about three babies per
week, yet it must be staffed around the clock, seven days a week. These
volume levels are simply not in line with guidelines from the American
College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and other licensing organizations,
for professionals to maintain clinical competency.
While many rural hospitals are closing across
the country, the Martin
County Commission has worked with the hospital to help ensure vital
services continue to be available for residents. And, as a rural healthcare provider with limited resources, we decided to
focus on services where patient need now requires us to provide
increased access. Two of these areas are behavioral health and
cardiology services.
We appreciate the comments and thoughtful questions we have received
since last week. This represents a big change for us, but we remain
committed to ensuring our hospital is well-poised to serve the community
today and in the future.