Community Chat

[Zernia Rose]

@ahoymate @Another factor is the consolidations of hospitals and other facilities and their purchase by corporations and private equity firms.

[Kalli]

Several years ago I remember reading about drs choosing to stop the OB part of their practice due to ever-increasing lawsuits and the resulting rise in malpractice insurance rates.

Now, as mentioned in a previous post, there may be severely negative consequences for drs who make certain decisions they feel are medically necessary.

Its hard to find fault with the dr in this situation.

[mormel20]

When I think of the word "ward" I think of a very large room full of beds. I watch a lot of old movies. Movies made in the 1940s will sometimes have wards.  But, on to the topic at hand. My small town build a new hospital a few years ago and they don't deliver babies. The nearest one that delivers is just over 16 miles from the new one that was built. 

[catmama]

A few weeks ago there was an article, in our local paper, that one of the region's longest running ob/gyn offices was closing. Many reasons given but I thought it was sad that so many good drs are getting tired of all the rules, regulations and low reimbursement from insurance and Medicare.  I friend of mine is a CFO for a medical clinic and she is certain that group will close down in the next few years.  They employ 35 people and expenses are sky rocketing and income is down. 

[Tinkrbl44]

---

@simplyfriends wrote:

Please don't make this political. I find it sad that so many hospitals here are having to close their maternity wards due to labor shortages, high costs due to inflation and declining birth rates. I'm sure it's not just California. 

---

@simplyfriends 

Since birth rates have been declining, these "wards" don't have enough people to service.   

This actually sounds like something from the 1950s ... before the birth control pill gave women choices.

Like others here, I had no idea "maternity wards" still existed!  

[qualitygal]

---

@lgfan wrote:

---

@haddon9 wrote:

Financial pressure & staff shortage.  Where are some of these women supposed to go?

---

Maybe they will end up going to birthing centers and midwives.

---

Sounds like it is going backwards.

[Mersha]

I feel sorry for pregnant mothers forced to go to a birthing center or midwife if there are complications in the delivery and there are no doctors around to handle the emergency.

My daughter was all set for a natural birth until things drastically changed and an emergency c-section had to be performed.

Thank God she was in a hospital with doctors to care for her and the baby.

[meem120]

@granddi 

 This isnt true.  The doctors that are employed by hospitals and private corps still have  to pay for their insurance.  It is taken out of their "draw".  Yes, the entity may send the payments but the Doc is certainly paying for it.  Just like they are paying for their health insurance, dental and pension or any other expense, just like a regular employee.

[granddi]

---

@meem120 wrote:

@granddi 

 This isnt true.  The doctors that are employed by hospitals and private corps still have  to pay for their insurance.  It is taken out of their "draw".  Yes, the entity may send the payments but the Doc is certainly paying for it.  Just like they are paying for their health insurance, dental and pension or any other expense, just like a regular employee.

---

My professional liability was paid for by my employer. 

I should not have made a broad statement that implied that all employed health care providers do not privately pay their own professional liability. 

Compensation packages often include: professional liability, personal health insurance, retirement, paid vacation, paid CE. Most have production incentivies too.