As part of a systemwide strategy, Cleveland-based University Hospitals plans to consolidate its birthing services and its cardiac surgery program, according to The Chronicle-Telegram.
As part of the strategy, University Hospitals Elyria (Ohio) Medical Center will end labor and delivery services in the next few months.
In addition, University Hospitals St. John Medical Center in Westlake, Ohio, will end its heart surgery program.
University Hospitals said it will increase the number of heart surgeries performed at the Elyria campus, and births will be transferred to the St. John's campus.
St. John will still offer diagnostic and therapeutic heart and vascular services.
The health system said the decision to consolidate services was made so it could provide better care, according to the report.
"We're confident that these moves will benefit all of our West market patients," said Daniel Simon, MD, chief clinical and scientific officer for University Hospitals, according to The Chronicle-Telegram. "Experience nationally shows that outcomes and patient experience improve when the number of similar procedures performed at a facility increases. Higher volume care can also be provided at a lower cost, helping to keep health care more affordable for patients."