The closure comes amid financial losses, low monthly birth rates and underfunding by the Colorado Medicaid program for obstetric services, according to a Jan. 30 news release shared with Becker’s.
“We did not take this decision lightly,” Andy Flemer, CEO and administrator of Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center, said in the release. “We sympathize with the expectant mothers in our community who were planning to give birth here … in the coming months and are committed to working with patients to find a high-level hospital in a nearby community to meet their delivery needs.”
Obstetric services will remain fully available through April 30. However, the unit stopped taking in new patients Jan 30. All affected employees will have the opportunity to transition to other jobs after the closure, the release added.
