Two California hospitals are moving forward with plans to suspend labor and delivery services this fall, according to local news reports.
Hemet (Calif.) Global Medical Center, a 327-bed facility, plans to close its labor and delivery department this fall. The hospital attributes the decision to low birth numbers and a shortage of physicians, according to local CBS affiliate KCAL News. HGMC shared the following statement with the news outlet:
"Due to consistently low volume and a shortage of physician coverage, Hemet Global Medical Center has submitted a formal request to the California Department of Public Health for approval of a temporary one-year suspension of its labor and delivery unit. All labor and delivery unit employees are being offered the opportunity to transfer to open positions at Hemet Global Medical Center and Menifee Global Medical Center. The emergency department remains open and fully accessible for emergency deliveries."
The closure, expected to take effect by the end of October, is anticipated to affect 35 employees. HGMC is owned and operated by KPC Group, based in Corona, Calif.
In a separate development, births and intensive care services at the 49-bed Santa Paula (Calif.) Hospital are scheduled to end on Oct. 15, pending approval by state officials, according to the Ventura County Star.
In May, leaders from the Ventura County Health Care Agency presented a budget plan to county officials that proposed closing the two units and relocating services to 272-bed Ventura (Calif.) County Medical Center about 15 miles away. They cited financial losses of approximately $16 million in the last fiscal year and noted a significant decline in patient volumes, a drop from 502 deliveries in 2010 to 167 in 2023. County officials approved the plan in June.