September 4th, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports today that Chesnut Hill Hospital will not be delivering babies anymore as of Nov. 4th., citing financial stress as the reason.
The article continues:
“Since 1997, 15 hospitals in the region have closed their maternity units. Most say the combination of high malpractice insurance and low insurance reimbursements makes the service a money loser. With Chestnut Hill’s unit closed, only seven hospitals in Philadelphia will offer obstetrical care.
Chestnut Hill has been delivering babies for 104 years. “We take no joy in doing this,” Brooks Turkel, the hospital’s chief executive officer, said yesterday. The hospital delivers about 1,000 babies a year, or 2 percent of the 53,000 babies born annually in Philadelphia and the four suburban Pennsylvania counties.”
September 5th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I was planning to deliver my third baby at Chestnut Hill Hospital November 15th. This baby was going to be my second VBAC. I am greatly disappointed at this news since Chestnut Hill is such a great place to birth. They have one of the lowest C-section rates of our area hospitals and really provide the best opportunity for a natural birth for those who have previously had C-sections.