January 12 2022 – Over the last several years, Holy Cross Health has witnessed birth rates decline, congruent with national trends, as a result of shifting demographics in our surrounding communities and patients selecting other hospitals for obstetric services in our primary and secondary service areas.
According to a recent Brookings Institution study, there were 60,000 fewer births than expected between October 2020 and February 2021 in the U.S., which corresponds with fewer conceptions earlier in 2020.
Deliveries at Holy Cross Health total less than 800 per year, down from high point of 1,359 in 2013. Though considerable investments have been made of late to bolster program, volumes are not growing. Births in the primary service area are projected to decrease an additional 7.5% (803 cases) over the next seven years.
In order to best serve our community over the long-term by utilizing resources where they are needed most, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close our inpatient maternity unit on March 14, 2022 at 7 a.m.
While this follows a week during which our Labor and Delivery Unit was on diversion due to COVID-19, Holy Cross Health had already been evaluating the long-term feasibility of the unit prior to its temporary closure.
As always, the care and safety of our patients are our top priorities. Holy Cross Health will continue to provide gynecologic services and comprehensive Women’s Health services through our Dorothy Mangurian Comprehensive Women’s Center and Holy Cross Medical Group physician practices.
Physicians will continue to treat patients in their offices and have the opportunity to oversee their deliveries. We are working with our physicians to secure credentials at local hospitals, enabling them to see their patients’ deliveries to term.
Our President/CEO also has reached out to other local hospitals to find positions for any maternity staff we are not able to retain.
An announcement of how we will transform the Maternity Unit to serve more patients will come at a later date.
