Laurium, Mich.-based Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital, part of Wausau, Wis.-based Aspirus Health, ended its labor and delivery services on Dec. 31.
The decision comes as part of a labor and delivery services review at the hospital, which revealed challenges with recruitment and retention for specialized providers and employees for 24/7 coverage, according to a news release shared with Becker's.
"This initiative will consolidate staffing and service locations to better meet local patient demand for comprehensive OB-GYN services," Matt Krause, chief administrative officer of Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital, said in the release.
Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center’s OB-GYN group in Hancock, Mich., has expanded access to serve patients affected by the closure.
Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital and Aspirus Houghton (Mich.) Clinic will continue to offer services such as prenatal care, postnatal care and obstetrical ultrasounds. An additional OB-GYN clinic will be added at Upper Great Lakes' Houghton clinic on Michigan Technological University's campus.
Labor and delivery services will also be offered at Hancock, Mich.-based UP Health System-Portage.
Amid the labor and delivery changes, Melissa, Helppi, RN, president of the Michigan Nurses Association-Aspirus Keweenaw union, expressed concern in a Dec. 23 news release not only for nurses, but for expecting mothers who will now have to travel further distances to give birth.
"Aspirus choosing to discontinue delivery services could put expectant mothers more at risk of life-threatening complications," she said. "It is important that our community be aware of these changes."
Aspirus Health comprises 18 hospitals, 130 outpatient locations and around 14,000 employees.