Yesterday, JUly 25th, Ottawa Family Physicians and AdventHealth Ottawa released a joint statement regarding the continuation of birthing services at the Ottawa hospital. On May 9th, OFP gave AdventHealth a six month advance notice of the inability to continue to provide 24 hours a day, 7 days a week coverage to maintain obstetrics services at the Ottawa hospital. AdventHealth Ottawa is the only hospital OFP physicians deliver at and OFP is the only group who currently delivers at AdventHealth Ottawa. As OFP transitions away from these services, AdventHealth Ottawa is working to find physicians who could continue providing birth services in the community. This is proving to be difficult for many reasons.
Many rural communities throughout Kansas have encountered similar challenges and no longer have hospital-based birth options in their communities. AdventHealth says they do not want to see that happen here and are committed to recruiting physicians to provide these much-needed services. If they are unable, Ottawa Family Physicians will work with other obstetrics groups and hospitals in the surrounding area that can do late prenatal care as well as deliveries and c-sections. Both say they will do everything they can to ensure babies an be born in Ottawa in the future as the November 9th deadline approaches.
