Cortez, Colo.-based Southwest Memorial Hospital will temporarily shutter its family birthing center beginning July 1.
Southwest Health System made the decision after "careful consideration," according to a June 7 news release shared with Becker's. The health system cited financial and "manpower" difficulties.
The news release said it is harder to keep labor and delivery units open in rural areas due to reimbursement cuts, an aging population and declining birth volumes that lower demand, and difficulty recruiting OB-GYNs and family physicians.
"We empathize with the expectant mothers in our community who were planning to give birth here at SHS in the coming months," said David Faulkner, the health system's interim CEO. "We are committed to work with patients to find a birthing center in our region to meet their delivery needs."
The hospital does not have an estimated date to reopen the unit, a representative told Becker's.