Aspirus Medford Hospital will move birthing services to Wausau, about 45 miles away

MEDFORD – Aspirus Medford Hospital will be transitioning its birthing services to the Aspirus Wausau Hospital Birthing Center later this year.

According to a release from Aspirus Health, Aspirus Medford will continue serving patients with prenatal and postnatal care, but deliveries will be performed at the Aspirus Wausau Hospital Birthing Center, about 45 miles away, effective Oct. 1.

Dale Hustedt, the president of Aspirus Health’s Northwest Wisconsin Division, said Aspirus Medford Hospital will ensure its emergency departments and facilities will be prepared to address labor and delivery issues that may happen after the transition, as well.

One factor in the decision to shift birthing services to Wausau was a lack of staffing, according to the release. It has been challenging to recruit physicians for obstetrics and gynecology departments, especially in rural areas. The release pointed to information from the American Medical Association, projecting the United States to experience a shortage of 5,000 OB/GYN providers by 2030.

Hustedt said the company is committed to the Medford community and surrounding area, and Aspirus is making the transition to better provide the right mix of services.

“Our region’s needs are dynamic, and we will continue to transform so we can advance our mission to heal people, promote health and strengthen communities for generations to come,” Hustedt said.

Hustedt said Aspirus Medford has operated with only one part-time OB/GYN physician since November 2020, making it hard to provide continuous coverage for patients.

“We are not alone in this decision as across the country, rural providers have made similar changes with less than 40% of rural hospitals performing routine deliveries,” he said. “In Wisconsin, we have seen deliveries ceased at more than a dozen hospitals.”

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin reported earlier this year rural communities often rely on rural health care systems for services like hospice, home care, mental health care and substance abuse services – care that would not otherwise exist in those communities if not for the rural hospitals and systems providing it. However, with fewer resources available to rural communities, these services are often condensed, paused or eliminated to save costs.

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Contact Caitlin at cshuda@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @CaitlinShuda.