Trying to shave its operating deficit, BJC Medical Center is closing its labor and delivery services, leaving three doctors scrambling to make alternative arrangements for patients.
“December 9 is the absolute last day we will deliver a baby,” announced CEO Jim Yarborough.
The cutback includes closing Commerce Women’s Clinic, a hospital-owned OB practice run by Dr. David Sauls, whose contract with BJC expires Dec. 9. The move will also bring to an end the delivery of babies by doctors Bob Marshburn and Beth Sullivan.
Marshburn of Medical Center Family Practice understands the problem.
“It’s tough to keep an OB wing open with the nurses and high-tech equipment if you’re not delivering a volume of babies that justifies it,” he said.
Both Marshburn and Sauls also predicted that closing the OB service at BJC will lead to cases where women show up at the emergency room in labor.
“You can have the EMS divert, but you’re always going to have somebody who just drives up in labor,” Sauls said. “You’re bound by laws. You can try to transfer them, but if you can’t find a hospital to accept them, you have to deal with it here.”
Yarborough said closing the OB unit could trim the hospital’s deficit by $500,000 to $750,000, Yarborough explained.
“We can no longer sustain OB services based on reimbursements,” said Yarborough, who added that the hospital would have to deliver 300 babies a year - with an appropriate Medicaid mix - to break even. Last year it delivered 66.
The move eliminates 12 positions at the hospital, but Yarborough speculated that some of those employees will be absorbed into other positions where vacancies exist.
BJC was struggling financially before the current economic slump hit. It lost its general surgeon and has seen its percentage of indigent care and charity care cases rise as the economy worsened.
“We’re having to cut costs,” said the CEO. “We can only cut so much staff until we cut services. We’ve had to cut a service that is not self-supporting.”
I agree with the response to your messeasge. If you feel like the hospital needs to be shut down because of the quality of care you received there, then why on earth would you contiune to go there and be seen?? My expereinces there have been good. I support BJC 100%. We do need a new hospital and hopefully we will get a new one with alot more things offered to us by the doctors there. If you dislike them so much why don't you go to another hospital?
I understand your fustration with a small hospital. I have been treated at BJC and larger hospitals. I am happy with the care. Do you understand if BJC was not close to home we would have to drive more than 25 minutes to get to another hospital? BJC has found a life threatening condition which required more extensive care. They transferrd to a larger hospital and saved a life. If BJC was not here I do not think there was time to travel to another hospital. I am thankful for BJC as a local hospital.
IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT BJC, THEN DON'T GO THERE, DON'T BE TREATED THERE, AND THEN YOU CAN AVOID SUING THEM FOR MALPRACTICE. NOW THAT'S SUPPORT!!!
from reading your comments, you were not turned away in an emergency situation. When they did not have a surgeon available, your husband could have really been critical. Sending him to where he could be properly taken care of, to me was saving his life. Did you consider that! All my experinces at BJC have been good.
Which I think would be great due to the fact that
the current facility is 40+/- years old.
However, my question is this, if they are going to quit
delivering babies at the current facility due to costs
wouldn't it cost just as much in a new building
if not more? So, if they can't offer OB services at
the current BJC Hospital how are they going to offer
OB services in a new building. The only thing that
changes is location.
Someone said that the good doctors need to leave and practice elsewhere, I disagree without those good doctors this hospital really would have no hope. Its those good doctors that are going to help boost this hospital and make it stronger and more capable of improving. They are the improvement!!! Them and the new nurses and staff that has been hired. Kevin mentioned many good things in his reply, I agree with him its not the care that is the problem with the hospital, not anymore, its the reputation they are trying to overcome. Because the hospital doesn't have all the personel to take care of some severe cases they transfer patients to other hospitals, which I think is honerable. I would hope they would transfer those patients out to a hospital that could take care of them instead of keeping them knowing they don't have the resources to save them. Martha spoke that point very well and I thank her for that.
I know that there are all kinds of stories floating around about the hospital. (Not good stories either) The sad thing is, I KNOW that it is not possible for some of them to be anywhere close to true, especially with the way the hospital HAS improved. I have witnessed some of the improvements! Once again I understand you are all entitled to your own beliefs, but I do encourage you not to give up on the hospital. Just put a little faith in it and I think many of you will be surprised. Its in Gods hands. Bless you all!