UnityPoint Health–Trinity is pausing its labor and delivery services Feb. 7 at its hospital in Muscatine, Iowa, in part because it is struggling to recruit and retain OB-GYN physicians.
UnityPoint said the halt to services will help leaders explore opportunities to provide "better consistency in physician coverage" at the facility.
"We believe this is the right thing to do for our patients and our community. Like other health systems across the nation, we are challenged to recruit and retain OB-GYN physicians at rural hospitals," said Robert Erickson, president and CEO of UnityPoint Health–Trinity.
Mr. Erikson said the decision is not driven by financial gain, and he expects the service disruption to be temporary.
Read the full news release here.