Blacksburg, Va.-based LewisGale Hospital Montgomery, part of HCA Virginia Health System, is temporarily discontinuing its obstetrics services effective April 1, a spokesperson at the hospital told Becker's in a statement.
The decision comes amid recruitment challenges for full-time OB-GYNs at the hospital in recent years.
Patients will now be directed for child delivery at the hospital's sister facility, Salem, Va.-based LewisGale Medical Center, which has a newly opened level 2 neonatal intensive care unit, the spokesperson said. Patients can still receive gynecological and pre- and postnatal care with LewisGale Physicians, the system's physician group.
"LewisGale Medical Center is ready to support LewisGale Hospital Montgomery's obstetric patients with the highest-quality labor and delivery care," the spokesperson said.