The planned closure of the obstetrics department at Hemet Global Medical Center has been postponed, according to the hospital and nurses union.
In an undated notice posted to the hospital’s website, officials say obstetrical services will be suspended Jan. 31, three months later than originally planned.
The California Nurses Association applauded a state Department of Public Health finding that KPC Health, which manages the Hemet hospital, must provide a 90-day notice before suspending obstetrical services, something it had failed to do when it originally announced the closure for Oct. 31.
“Hemet nurses fought hard to protect our patients from KPC Health’s irresponsible and hasty decision to cut obstetrics services,” Ginny Packham, a Hemet obstetrics nurse, said in a union news release. “If HGMC does not reverse its decision to fully close the obstetrics unit, then at least nurses and community members will have until Jan. 31 of next year to prepare for this scenario. We are so relieved to have won this valuable time.”
In August, a hospital spokesperson said a “consistently low volume (of patients) and a shortage of physician coverage” contributed to the original planned closure, referred to as temporary.
Hospital officials did not respond to requests for additional comment by midday Friday, Nov. 8.
Union officials criticized KPC Group, which owns KPC Health, for its priorities.
According to the union, even as it was preparing to close the obstetrics unit at the Hemet hospital, KPC Group announced plans for a hotel project near SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
“While KPC Health was insisting that Hemet’s moms give birth in the emergency room and actively flouting the law, they also announced the development of a luxury hotel,” Sharon Glisson, an ICU nurse, said in the union’s news release. “You don’t need a clearer sign that KPC Health and its owners put profits over patient care.”
According to a KPC Health, Dr. Kali Chaudhuri, founder and chairman of the KPC Group, has more than $10 billion in assets, including hospitals, clinics, schools, commercial real estate properties, and agricultural research centers.
In the notice posted to the Hemet hospital’s website, officials said they seek to reclassify 12 perinatal beds and approximately 34 staff positions under the planned obstetrics closure, and directed expectant mothers to seek services at hospitals in Banning, Moreno Valley and Murrieta.
“The hospital remains committed to the continued provision of quality medical care to the residents of Hemet and our surrounding communities,” KPC Health’s notice reads in part.
Below, Packham answered questions about the closure and what it means for local patients.
Question: What happens after the department closes Jan. 31?
Packham: “Mothers who come to the hospital will be transferred to other hospitals. If the mother is not stable, she will have to deliver her baby in the emergency department. There will not be a labor or nursery-trained nurse to assist with the care of the mother or her baby. Delivering in an emergency room limits the mother’s privacy and access to pain relief, such as an epidural. This also puts a strain on doctors and nurses who are already stressed due to the increase in patient census due to flu season.”
Question: Have nurses in the department been offered compatible employment options?
Packham: “There isn’t anything compatible. The OB nurses will have to be retrained to work in other areas of nursing. This may take a few weeks to several months. Many of the nurses have been OB nurses for 20 years or more. It is difficult to learn a new skill after many years in a specialty. They have to accept jobs on the night shift and start over in their nursing careers. They are forced into areas where they are not naturally gifted or passionate about. This is a disruption to their careers and their families.”
Question: What are the next steps for patients?
Packham: “They will have to try to find prenatal care outside of the Hemet area. If they use the OB providers in Hemet, they will have to transfer their care in the third trimester to an OB doctor in another city to be near the hospital for delivery. This can be up to a 45-minute drive. This is especially difficult since many of our residents have limited transportation, and most of the prenatal visits occur in the third trimester.”
Question: What does this mean for obstetric doctors and their practices?
Packham: “It has been difficult to get OB doctors to come to the Hemet area. By closing the department, no OB doctor will come to start a practice. Our current OB providers are planning to continue to care for the women in our valley but, without a hospital to deliver babies, it will gravely affect the viability of their practice.”
Question: Is full obstetrical care being offered or limited care?
Packham: “Until Jan. 31, the OB dept will be fully staffed and excited to care for any mother and baby. We continue to offer vaginal and cesarean deliveries. We have a lactation consultant to help mothers with breastfeeding. Our nurses have many years of experience in the OB specialty and are capable of caring for mothers and babies.”
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