St. Alphonsus Will Keep Baker City Birthing Center Open an Additional Four Weeks
By Joe Hathaway on Wednesday, July 26th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY – St. Alphonsus announced on Wednesday, July 26 that its Baker City birthing center will remain open an additional four weeks.
The birthing center, the only maternity care facility in Baker County, was set to close July 31.
“We have just received expedited approval from the state of Oregon for six Obstetrics nurses and plan to keep the Obstetrics unit at Baker City open for another four weeks to allow the community additional time to plan for the transition. We appreciate Senator Wyden and other elected leaders’ focus on ongoing conversations around Obstetrics services in Baker City.”
Saint Alphonsus announced the closure in June, attributing the decision to a staggering 60% decrease in deliveries, plummeting from 128 per year since the 2020 fiscal year to a projected 75 deliveries in 2023. The hospital also pointed to critical staffing challenges, intensified by recent staff resignations and operational change.
Since the announcement, elected officials and organizations have been working on solutions to maintain maternity care in Baker County once the center shutters its doors.
