A hospital in Hemet will shut down its labor and delivery department in a few weeks, leaving expectant parents in limbo with no other medical services available in the area.
As the maternity unit at Hemet Global Medical Center is expected to close on Oct. 31, nurses at the hospital expressed concerns for expectant moms who may go into labor without any other options in the area.
“It’s about 20 miles to the next hospital, and there are a lot of high risk patients,” Danica McCain, one of the nurses with Hemet Global Medical Center, said. “We have patients who haven’t been able to access care and patients with problems with diabetes, hypertension and pregnancy.”
It’s not clear how many workers will be impacted by the closure.
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Nurses said the hospital is allowing them to look into other vacant positions within Hemet Global Medical Center, but that does not guarantee continued employment.
“We can find jobs in other places, but the problem is we are nurses trained to be labor and delivery nurses,” Jasmin Robertson, a nurse at the labor and delivery department, said.
Not having immediate medical services available in the area is also a concern for the entire Hemet community as well.
Tiffany Goulbourne is one of those neighbors who benefited from the medical center as she lives 10 minutes away.
“A year ago, I had an emergency situation where I had to get to the nearest hospital,” Goulbourne said. “I came here and the staff took care of me.”
San Jacinto Councilmember Brian Hawkins said closing the maternity unit is not ideal, and he’s working to prevent the closure.
Hemet Global Medical Center confirmed the closure of the labor and delivery unit but clarifying that the temporary suspension will last about a year.
“Due to consistently low volume and a shortage of physician coverage, Hemet Global Medical Center has submitted a formal request to the California Department of Public Health for approval of a temporary one-year suspension of its labor and delivery unit," the hospital said, adding the one-year closure will likely begin on Oct. 31.
"All labor and delivery unit employees are being offered the opportunity to transfer to open positions at Hemet Global Medical Center and Menifee Global Medical Center. The emergency department remains open and fully accessible for emergency deliveries.”
