The rural Penobscot Valley Hospital, based in Lincoln, Maine, plans to end nonemergency delivery services next year due to a steep decline in newborns and the upcoming departure of four obstetrical service specialists, according to MBPN News.
Only 59 babies have been born at the critical access hospital so far this year, compared to 100 babies five years ago. After May 1, Lincoln mothers in labor will have to travel 50 miles to Eastern Maine Medical Center Bangor, Maine, according to the report.
Despite the distance, other hospitals will have more resources and staff for labor and deliveries than Penobscot Valley Hospital, said Lisa Letourneau, MD, MPH, executive director of Maine Quality Counts in the report. Penobscot Valley Hospital will still provide access to prenatal lab testing and ultrasounds for patients, she said.
The changes are necessary to make healthcare more efficient, Dr. Letourneau told MBPN News. With 38 hospitals for 1.3 million people, Maine has a surprisingly high number of hospitals, according to Dr. Letourneau.
Maine Quality Counts is a regional health improvement collaborative that aligns healthcare improvement efforts throughout the state.
More articles on hospital closures:
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Rural hospitals have closed 1,500 beds since 2010
135-year-old Colorado hospital shuts down