Jasper County is losing its only labor and delivery practice. A town of 30,000 in Iowa has run out of Ob/Gyns

[lucas80]

This is the future of Iowa, I'm only slightly surprised it was a county as big as Jasper, and a city like Newton that went so fast. We have seen other smaller cities and counties lose their practicing lady parts doctors, but it is clear that Iowa is becoming a health care desert for reproductive services. This isn't abortion care that is leaving Jasper County, this is basic, fundamental reproductive care that will now require an extra 30-45 minutes in the car to receive. Precious minutes many women might not have.
https://www.weareiowa.com/article/n...ayer/524-cfdb1148-c500-45f1-aa3f-f77f29561426

 

[Capital1Hawk]

This is the future of Iowa, I'm only slightly surprised it was a county as big as Jasper, and a city like Newton that went so fast. We have seen other smaller cities and counties lose their practicing lady parts doctors, but it is clear that Iowa is becoming a health care desert for reproductive services. This isn't abortion care that is leaving Jasper County, this is basic, fundamental reproductive care that will now require an extra 30-45 minutes in the car to receive. Precious minutes many women might not have.
https://www.weareiowa.com/article/n...ayer/524-cfdb1148-c500-45f1-aa3f-f77f29561426

In any decent sized city you drive 20-40 minutes if you are in the burbs. DM is an easy drive from Newton. Not a big deal imho.

 

[TexSkills]

LDR units are basically loss leaders for most hospitals. I saw an article that said 40% of rural hospitals lose money on obstetrics.

Really two ways to make up for it is a favorable payer mix and volume. Several hospitals in our area have consolidated their OB units into centralized areas.

Flagler County, Florida has two Advent hospitals and neither have an LDR unit. They ship them to Daytona. That county has about 130,000 people.