Washington, DC.-based George Washington University Hospital’s midwifery program has no midwives after its former providers declined employment contracts with Capital Medical Group, according to an Aug. 24 report from The GW Hatchet.
CMG, a physician-led nonprofit subsidiary of Universal Health Services that provides clinical services at GW Hospital, offered contracts to midwives previously employed by the Medical Faculty Associates, but all declined. A UHS spokesperson told The GW Hatchet the organization is “assessing the future of the midwife program.”
The staffing change comes as clinical services transition from the MFA to CMG. About 85% of the MFA’s 1,270 employees have accepted contracts with CMG, or roughly 1,080 employees. The MFA is expected to permanently wind down its operations in September.
GW Hospital’s midwifery practice has faced staffing challenges since at least 2022, when it warned patients of a “decreased midwifery presence,” according to the report. CMG’s website continues to advertise midwifery services, though no midwifery providers are currently listed in its online provider directory.
Becker’s has reached out to GW Hospital for comment and will update the story if a response is received.
Some patients have reported difficulty scheduling appointments with midwives and have considered seeking care elsewhere, according to the report. GW Hospital and CMG did not respond to The Hatchet’s requests for comment on the program’s status or patients’ access to midwifery care.
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