Jackson South Medical Center, part of Jackson Health System, both in Miami, will close its maternity ward unit this fall.
The closure aims to aid [the hospital’s] “continued growth and to better align with the current needs of the surrounding community,” according to a July 7 statement shared with Becker’s.
Jackson Health System will work with the affected employees to move them into other roles or similar unit positions at Jackson South or open positions at the system’s additional hospitals. The health system will also work with local doctors to fulfill its commitment to expecting mothers nearing their delivery date and transfer earlier-term pregnancy patients to other care areas.
Miami-based the Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial and North Miami Beach-based Jackson North Medical Center will continue offering maternity services, including high-risk mother specialized care. Jackson South’s OB-GYN physician practice in partnership with UHealth – University of Miami Health will also remain open.
“Jackson remains fully committed to ensuring underserved patients have access to prenatal care through our partnership with Miami-based Community Health of South Florida,” the release said. “This realignment will ensure our patients throughout South Florida can access the care they need at Jackson locations convenient to them.”
Carlos Migoya, CEO of Jackson Health System, addressed state legislators and county commissioners in a July 8 memo shared with Becker’s, stating that, apart from Jackson South’s maternity ward closure, maternity care will not be ending systemwide.
“Seizing new opportunities sometimes requires we make tough but necessary decisions to prioritize our community’s highest needs within our limited space,” he said. “This approach has led to proven successes throughout Jackson – and we will continue to operate in this thoughtful, data-driven manner. ”
Editor’s note: this story was updated on July 9 at 1:42 p.m. C.T.
