Hospitals across the country, especially those in rural areas, have been struggling to keep their maternity unit doors open. Why is this happening: unpredictable patient volumes; high rates of malpractice lawsuits; workforce shortages exacerbated by recent abortion bans; and the increasingly complex restrictions around clinical decision-making.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of labor & delivery units that have closed in the past 18 months:
- Adventist Health Simi Valley (CA)
- Prisma Health Laurens County (SC)
- Mayo Clinic New Prague (MN)
- Sharon Hospital (CT)
- State Office of Health Strategy ruled on Feb 5, 2024 that the hospital must keep maternity unit open despite the cost and staffing issues
- UMass Memorial Hospital (MA)
- Princeton Baptist Medical Center/ Monroe County/ Brookwood Baptist Health (AL)
- Windham Hospital (CT)
- Bonner General Health (ID)
- Samaritan Hospital/ Saint Peter’s Health (NY)
- University Hospitals – Samaritan Medical Center (OH)
- Universtiy Hospitals – Lake West Hospital (OH)
- Premier Health (FL)
- Johnson Memorial (CT)
- Betsy Johnson Hospital (NC)
- Ascension St. Francis Hospital (WI)
- Tri-City Medical Center (CA)
- Palomar Health (CA)
- CoxHealth (KY)
- Shelby Baptist Medical Center (TN)
- Doctors Hospital (CA)
- Sentara Halifax Hospital (VA)
- Singing River Health System (MS)
- St. Mary’s Hospital (IL)
- Jasper Memorial (TX)
- Toppenish Hospital (WA)