IU Health will continue to offer obstetrics services at IU Health Paoli Hospital, reversing a decision from earlier this week that services would end in March due to low birth rates.
"The decision to remain open was made after many meaningful conversations over the past week between IU Health leadership, community leaders, healthcare providers and government officials about the unique characteristics and needs of the Orange County population," said IU Health Paoli Hospital President Larry Bailey in a statement.
Teri deMatas is the VP of Marketing and Community Relations for the IU Health Bloomington Hospital, which maintains oversight of the Orange County hospital. She says about 100 people sent letters of support to Southern Indiana Community Health Care, which played a role in the reversal of the decision.
"Through those conversations and through the engagement of the community and government officials, we feel like we can continue to operate the obstetrics program and it is a very important service for that community," deMatas says.
The IU Health statement says officials considered the amount of families living in poverty nearby and the Amish population that may have a difficult time traveling outside the county for OB services.
SICHC provides services in the Paoli Hospital OB department. A statement from Dr. Yolanda Yoder says they are exceedingly grateful that IU Health "decided to lead the way by choosing to advocate for equitable health care over cost considerations."
Officials said earlier this week it was no longer financially viable to maintain the program due to a 32 percent reduction in births over the past five years in Orange County.
"Now it's up to us to find ways to work with them for improved outcomes across the spectrum," Yoder says. "The next step for all of us it to speak up loudly for national funding to cover the cost of maternity care and other health services in disadvantaged communities."
The statement says SICHC has had some "likely success" in recruiting a new OB physician. But Yoder says another factor in reversing the decision is the state's infant mortality rate.
IU Health officials say they've closed OB units in five other critical access hospitals, "without adverse effects for patients."
"In those communities, as was the plan in Paoli, IU Health increased access to locally based OB/GYN physicians to ensure high quality pre and postnatal care," the statement says.
