Baptist Health-Fort Smith to end pregnancy, childbirth, & NICU services
By Adam Roberts, DMM, Brett Rains
Click here for updates on this story
FORT SMITH, Arkansas (KHBS) — Baptist Health-Fort Smith will shut down its services for pregnancy, childbirth, and NICU in less than a month, according to an email sent by an executive to employees on Monday.
The email, obtained by 40/29 News, said that the obstetrics program at Baptist Health-Fort Smith is no longer sustainable.
Those services are set to end on April 28, 2026.
Doug Weeks, executive vice president of strategy and innovation, wrote in the email that the Baptist Health board is proud of the role the medical center has played in caring for mothers and newborns, but that they must focus resources in the areas of greatest ongoing community need.
Over the past five years, deliveries at Baptist Health-Fort Smith dropped form 92 a month to 20 a month, according to a spokesperson.
The teams will contact expectant mothers to make arrangements.
Hospital changes
Last week, a hospital spokesperson told 40/29’s Abner Sosa that Baptist Health-Fort Smith wouldn’t close, but warned of “operational changes” over the next 12 to 18 months.
CEO Troy Wells wrote in a statement that hospitals across the country are facing rising costs and workforce shortages.
Fort Smith Mayor George McGill issued a statement saying the reduction of health care services at the hospital would have a devastating impact on people who live in western Arkansas, especially people who can’t afford to travel.
Health care workers
Last week, 40/29’s Brett Rains spoke with registered nurse Loralee Hamman, who has worked at the hospital for 26 years and spent nearly all of her career in labor and delivery.
“We have an uncertain future,” Hamman said. “I haven’t had to look for a job in 26 years. I’ve been only there. That’s where my whole heart has been.”
The email from Weeks said that, when possible, Baptist Health would prioritize the 40 impacted workers for placement elsewhere in the company.
Weeks recommended they call the human resources department with concerns.
“I’m going to have to find somewhere to go,” Hamman said. “And whenever you find the kind of nurse you want to be, you typically aren’t happy being another kind of nurse.”
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.