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The Status of Maternity Units Access

Since 1997, 19 maternity units have closed their doors in Southeastern Pennsylvania

Closing Maternity Units

There is an alarming trend of diminishing birthing options for pregnant women in Southeastern Pennsylvania as maternity units (or obstetrics units) close.  These closures have contributed to local spikes in occupancy rates and raised concerns around the capacity of remaining units to serve women safely. Women face an additional barrier because their provider may not accept their insurance plan. 

 

 

Are you concerned with the erosion of maternity services in Southeastern Pennsylvania? Let your state legislators know. Find your legislators by entering your zip code at www.congress.org.

Please see the lists below showing where women can still give birth and which sites have closed.  In the left column, hospital names in RED have closed the entire hospital, including their maternity department.  Hospital names in DARK BLUE have closed their maternity units, but continue to provide other inpatient services.

MATERNITY UNIT CLOSED

MATERNITY UNIT AND HOSPITAL CLOSED

(Southeastern PA)

 

Bucks

Warminster (2000)

Chester

Brandywine Hospital (2008)

Delaware

Mercy Fitzgerald Maternity Unit (2003) 

Montgomery

Elkins Park (2001)

Central Montgomery Medical Center (2009)

Mercy Suburban Hospital (June 30th, 2010)

Philadelphia

Temple East-Northeastern Hospital (2009)

Chestnut Hill Hospital Maternity Unit (2008)

Jeanes Hospital (2007)

Frankford Hospital (2006)

Parkview (2003)

Methodist (2002)

Mercy Philadelphia Hospital (2002)

Episcopal (2001) 

Roxborough Memorial Hospital (1999) 

City Avenue (1999) 

Germantown (1998)

Nazareth Hospital (1998) 

Medical College of      

       Pennsylvania (1997) 

 

 

 

 

 

MATERNITY UNIT AND HOSPITAL STILL OPEN

(Southeastern PA)

Bucks

Doylestown Hospital

Grand View Hospital

Lower Bucks Hospital

St. Mary Medical Center

Chester

Chester County Hospital

Jennersville Regional Hospital

Paoli Hospital 

Phoenixville Hospital

Delaware

Crozer-Chester Medical Center

Delaware County Memorial Hospital

Riddle Memorial Hospital

Montgomery

Abington Memorial Hospital

Bryn Mawr Hospital

Holy Redeemer Health System           

Lankenau Hospital            

Montgomery Hospital Medical Center

Pottstown Memorial Medical Center

Philadelphia

Albert Einstein Medical Center

Hahnemann University Hospital

Hospital of the University of

        Pennsylvania    

Pennsylvania Hospital     

Temple University Hospital      

Thomas Jefferson University           

        Hospital

 

BIRTH CENTERS OPEN

Bryn Mawr Birth         

     Center    

Valley Birthplace &  

     Woman Care

 

Top of page                 

Maternity Units Capacity in Southeast Pennsylvania

The charts below show the capacity in area maternity units in 2007-2008 as compared to 1996-1997 for Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties: 

Philadelphia County

Hospital Obstetrics Capacity

Comparison of Capacity in 1997 and 2008

HOSPITAL

In Order of 2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

 

1996-1997

Occupancy Rate

2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

Change in Occupancy Rate

1996-1997

Licensed Beds

2007-2008 Licensed Beds

1996-1997

Births

2007-2008

Births

Consequences

Temple University Hospital

47.3%

98.9%

+51.6

34

27

1,651

2,726

 

Albert Einstein Medical Center

74.2%

98.8%

+24.6

32

40

1,441

2,916

 

Pennsylvania Hospital

85%

80.6%

-4.4

66

72

3,946

5,167

 

Temple East-Northeastern Hospital

29.2%

68.7%

+39.5

20

20

799

1,753

CLOSED

2009

Hahnemann University Hospital

65.3%

68.1%

+2.8

20

25

1,223

2,009

 

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

65.5%

67.2%

+1.7

55

32

2,422

4,068

 

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

63.1%

59.3%

-3.8

60

31

3,122

2,154

 

Chestnut Hill HealthCare

48.3%

28.5%

-19.8

24

29

1,192

1,006

CLOSED 2008

Jeanes Hospital

37%

CLOSED

CLOSED

15

CLOSED

601

CLOSED

CLOSED 2006

Frankford Hospital

80.2%

CLOSED

CLOSED

25

CLOSED

1,825

CLOSED

CLOSED 2006

Parkview Hospital

47.1%

CLOSED

CLOSED

12

CLOSED

916

CLOSED

CLOSED 2003

Methodist Hospital

49.1%

CLOSED

CLOSED

No info

CLOSED

166

CLOSED

CLOSED 2002

Mercy Hospital of Philadelphia

30.1%

CLOSED

CLOSED

10

CLOSED

431

CLOSED

CLOSED 2002

Episcopal Hospital

53.6%

CLOSED

CLOSED

26

CLOSED

1,231

CLOSED

CLOSED 2001

Roxborough Memorial Hospital

12.8%

CLOSED

CLOSED

15

CLOSED

160

CLOSED

CLOSED 1999

City Avenue

51.7%

CLOSED

CLOSED

25

CLOSED

926

CLOSED

CLOSED 1999

Medical College of Pennsylvania

70.9%

CLOSED

CLOSED

28

CLOSED

1,002

CLOSED

CLOSED 1997

Germantown Hospital

31.9%

CLOSED

CLOSED

21

CLOSED

455

CLOSED

CLOSED 1998

Nazareth Hospital

15.3%

CLOSED

CLOSED

20

CLOSED

197

CLOSED

CLOSED 1998

Philadelphia County TOTAL

 

 

 

508

276

23,706

21,799

13 Closures

 


 

 

Montgomery County

Hospital Obstetrics Capacity

Comparison of Capacity in 1997 and 2008

 

HOSPITAL

In Order of 2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

 

1996-1997

Occupancy Rate

2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

Change in Occupancy Rate

1996-1997

Licensed Beds

2007-2009

Licensed Beds

1996-1997

Births

2007-2008

Births

Consequences

Holy Redeemer Health System 

50.2%

83%

+32.8

33

30

1,703

3,006

 

Abington Memorial Hospital

65.3%

58.8 %

-6.5

42

69

3,289

5,282

 

Lankenau Hospital

61.4%

54.7 %

-6.7

25

39

1,683

2,217

 

Bryn Mawr Hospital

64.3%

54.3%

-10

28

31

1,991

1,883

 

Montgomery Hospital Medical Center

44.3%

49%

+4.7

11

11

630

690

 

Mercy Suburban Hospital

44.9%

39.7%

-5.2

18

12

591

673

CLOSED

2010

Pottstown Memorial Medical Center

20.9%

27.1%

+6.2

55

22

812

758

 

Central Montgomery Medical Center

41.2%

24.7%

-16.2

14

14

762

369

CLOSED 2009

Elkins Park

67.7%

CLOSED

CLOSED

27

CLOSED

1,260

CLOSED

CLOSED 2001

Montgomery County TOTAL

 

 

 

253

228

12,721

14,878

3 Closures

 

 

 

Bucks County

Hospital Obstetrics Capacity

Comparison of Capacity in 1997 and 2008

  

HOSPITAL

In Order of 2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

 

1996-1997

Occupancy Rate

2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

Change in Occupancy Rate

1996-1997

Licensed Beds

2007-2008

Licensed Beds

1996-1997

Births

2007-2008

Births

Consequences

St. Mary Medical Center

47.1

68.1%

+21

24

24

1,341

1,623

 

Lower Bucks Hospital

60.5%

57.1%

-3.4

17

17

1,369

1,112

 

Doylestown Hospital

58.8%

47.3%

-11.5

12

24

1,042

1,399

 

Grand View Hospital

36.5%

36.1%

-0.4

25

27

1,132

1,157

 

Warminster

36.1%

CLOSED

 

12

CLOSED

508

CLOSED

CLOSED 2000

Bucks County TOTAL

 

 

 

90

92

5,392

5,291

1 Closure

  

 

 

 

 

Delaware County

Hospital Obstetrics Capacity

Comparison of Capacity in 1997 and 2008

  

HOSPITAL

In Order of 2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

 

1996-1997

Occupancy Rate

2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

Change in Occupancy Rate

1996-1997

Licensed Beds

2007-2008

Licensed Beds

1996-1997

Births

2007-2008

Births

Consequences

Delaware County Memorial Hospital

60.5%

92.7%

+32.2

24

17

1,055

1,690

     

Crozer-Chester Medical Center

58.6%

78.3%

+19.7

40

36

2,516

2,086

 

Riddle Memorial Hospital

39.4%

44.3%

+4.9

26

22

867

937

 

Mercy Fitzgerald

51.9%

CLOSED

 

20

CLOSED

1,374

CLOSED

CLOSED 2003

Delaware County TOTAL

 

 

 

110

75

5,812

4,712

1 Closure

 

 

 

Chester County

Hospital Obstetrics Capacity

Comparison of Capacity in 1997 and 2008

  

HOSPITAL

In Order of 2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

 

1996-1997

Occupancy Rate

2007-2008

Occupancy Rate

Change in Occupancy Rate

1996-1997

Licensed Beds

2007-2008

Licensed Beds

1996-1997

Births

2007-2008

Births

Consequences

Chester County Hospital

51.6%

74.5%

+22.9

27

25

2,028

2,523

 

Paoli Hospital

41.6%

60.8%

+19.2

11

26

695

2,189

 

Phoenixville Hospital

44%

33.5%

-10.5

21

20

1,203

967

 

Jennersville Regional Hospital

No info

23.6%

No info

No info

11

No info

412

 

Brandywine Hospital

36.4%

13.4%

-23

12

10

686

243

CLOSED 2008

Chester County TOTAL

 

 

 

71

92

4,612

6,334

1 Closure

 

 

 

Data Source: PA Department of Health, Bureau of Health Statistics

  • 1996-1997 Licensed Beds and Occupancy Rates from Annual Hospital Questionnaire, Report 2A.  Online PDF
  • 1996-1997 Births: Annual Hospital Questionnaire, Report 1A.  Online PDF
  • 2006-2007Licensed Beds and Occupancy Rates, Annual Hospital Questionnaire, Report 2A.  Online PDF
  • 2006-2007 Births: Annual Hospital Questionnaire, Report 1A. Online PDF

 

Capacity is an area of concern for practitioners and families. The literature, discussed briefly below, recommends a capacity around 75% and, in 2007-2008, half of the remaining maternity units in Philadelphia were operating above this capacity; two at about 99% (Table 13). 

Furthermore, anecdotal evidence suggests that practitioners and hospital staff in maternity units are overwhelmed and patients are frustrated about overcrowded facilities and traveling further distances to receive care. 

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health commissioned a Drexel University report, "Obstetric Care for Philadelphia Residents: 1997-2004."  The following is an excerpt:

 

Individual hospitals make their own determinations as to what occupancy level they are comfortable with, taking into account fiscal pressures, risk, and provider workload. Several states and organizations have published “ideal” obstetric occupancy rates, sometimes varying for urban and rural areas or small vs. large hospitals.

 

Table 13:

Industry Recommendations for Obstetric Unit Occupancy Rate

(see citations below)

Source

Recommendation for obstetric occupancy

NY State Department of Health

75% in an urban area

Virginia (Certificate of Need)

80%

Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board

75% for hospitals with 11-25 beds

78% for hospitals with 26 or more beds

Department of Defense

70%

American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology

75%

NICU occupancy target

75%

 

Table 13 citations:

New York State Department of Health: Acute Care Facilities

Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board (03/21/2005)

Department of Defense Planning Criteria for Health Facilities

"Strategies for Cutting Hospital Beds: The impact on patient services"

Excerpt courtesy of report author:

Jennifer Kolker, MPH
Assistant Professor
Drexel University School of Public Health Department of Health Management and Policy

 

Please visit our Childbirth Crisis News page to read recent articles or Take Action on important issues!

 

 

Last Updated August 2010

 


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