In abstract
Dozens of California hospitals shut their maternity wards over the previous decade, and the development continued in 2024 after lawmakers superior plans to gradual the closures.
Since CalMatters reported a 12 months in the past on the unfold of maternity care desertsCalifornians have continued to lose entry to labor and supply providers. This 12 months, 4 hospitals have shut down their maternity wards, with one other 4 slated to shut by November.
That’s almost on par with the ten maternity ward closures in 2023.
In whole, in accordance with CalMatters’ evaluation of state data, 56 hospitals have stopped delivering infants since 2012 — that’s 16% of all common acute care hospitals within the state.
Nationwide not less than 267 hospitals closed labor and supply between 2011 and 2021, representing about 5% of the nation’s hospitals.
The development has drawn consideration from lawmakers and well being advocates who’ve requested Gov. Gavin Newsom to signal laws meant to assist the state intervene when a hospital is struggling to maintain labor and supply open. In addition they need to drive hospitals to be extra clear about their funds, staffing ranges and the way closures would influence communities.
Hospital directors blame service cuts on excessive prices, labor shortages and declining delivery charges. However in some cases, CalMatters discovered extremely worthwhile hospitals closing maternity wards that delivered greater than 700 infants yearly, a quantity that analysis suggests is properly above the threshold for security and monetary viability.
Black, Latino and low-income communities are disproportionately affected by these closures whilst they grapple with a few of the state’s worst delivery outcomes. Black girls account for less than 5% of pregnancies within the state however make up 21% of pregnancy-related deaths, in accordance with state information. Low-income girls even have a few of the highest charges of issues and demise.
Discover out beneath which California hospitals have closed labor and supply.
Supported by the California Well being Care Basis (CHCF), which works to make sure that individuals have entry to the care they want, after they want it, at a value they will afford. Go to www.chcf.org to study extra.
