St. Joseph Hospital will close maternity ward
Services shifting to boardman
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WARREN -- Generations of hospital deliveries in Trumbull County will end in December when St. Joseph Warren Hospital closes its birthing center and refers patients to its Boardman affiliate.
For expectant mothers in the city, that means a trip of more than 30 minutes south to give birth. Others may journey to birthing centers in Cleveland, Mayfield Heights or Farrell, Pa.
"Mercy Health is enhancing maternity care in the Mahoning Valley by integrating labor and delivery services at Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital, creating additional capacity and greater access to advanced maternal and newborn care for families throughout the region," the healthcare system said Wednesday afternoon in a news release.
"This enhanced model combines the strengths of the region’s existing maternity programs and centralizes deliveries at a location equipped with advanced clinical resources, including maternal-fetal medicine specialists and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit in partnership with Akron Children’s Hospital."
The news upset Warren Mayor Doug Franklin.
"My immediate thoughts and highest concern always goes straight to our expectant mothers and their families," he said Wednesday. "Think about this: Knowing that the families now will have to travel approximately 30 miles south to Boardman Hospital to deliver their babies safely.
"It's really disturbing to me -- 30 to 40-minute down Route 11, (Interstate) 680, perhaps during a snowstorm, maybe expectant mothers in labor. That just concerns me, deeply, and I'm sure it concerns all of you."
Prior to the announcement, hospital leadership conducted an hourlong phone conference with county and city leaders.
"It’s definitely not a good situation," Trumbull County Commissioner Rick Hernandez said. “It’s very disheartening.
"Really, we had a lot of questions, but the president of the hospital, Charlotte Gardiner, had just pretty much said, ‘We do not like it. We do not like what we have to do. But unfortunately, if we can’t get doctors, we can’t continue the program.'”
Mercy Health touched on staffing issues in its release.
"The decision follows a careful evaluation of the long-term healthcare needs of the region and ongoing OB-GYN physician workforce challenges affecting healthcare organizations nationwide," the release states. "After exploring a variety of options, Mercy Health determined that integrating deliveries at St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital provides the strongest foundation for sustainable, coordinated maternity care while improving access to specialized resources."
The exact date of the operational change was not provided. However, Hernandez said that Dec. 7 was the date given to officials.
When available, the second-floor space at St. Joe’s will be converted into a 25-bed inpatient unit.
The healthcare system said St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital delivers approximately 3,400 babies each year. Mercy Health is expanding labor and delivery capacity with the addition of 20 maternity beds and other enhancements to support another 1,000 mothers annually.
St. Joseph's maternity staff "will have opportunities to transition to roles at St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital or pursue other opportunities within Mercy Health."
Mercy Health said patients will continue to receive prenatal and postpartum care through their providers, with only deliveries taking place at St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital. The health system said it is working with physicians and clinical providers "to support continuity of care and a coordinated transition for patients and families."
The move to St. Elizabeth Boardman will provide greater access to specialized resources. One area involves access to a Level III NICU, which "means premature or medically fragile newborns can receive advanced care close to home, often without the need to physically transfer them to another hospital."
That availability is critical, said Dr. James Kravec, Acute Care Chief Medical Officer, Mercy Health, Ohio.
“For families facing high-risk pregnancies or unexpected complications, that level of expertise and coordination can make a meaningful difference," he said. "By integrating deliveries at one location, we are expanding access to resources that may not be needed in every birth, but are critical when they are.”
The health system said it is also increasing access to family support services in Warren through the addition of Centering Pregnancy, Resource Mothers and Fatherhood Support programs at its Tod Avenue location.
"This program represents a vital safety net for our community," Franklin said. "It brings mothers, fathers, and healthcare providers together to offer continuous prenatal checkups, health education, peer connection, and dedicated guidance for new fathers.
"While the final delivery will occur in Boardman, this new program ensures that the critical months before and after birth -- prenatal visits, postpartum care and family support -- remain firmly anchored right here in our neighborhood."
Hernandez said city and county leaders will work together to address transportation issues.
"We’re going to have to look into how to get these mothers proper care through transportation," he said.
Mercy Health added that St. Joseph will remain an integral healthcare resource for Warren and Trumbull County.
"For decades, St. Joe's has been a pillar of safety and comfort for our community," Franklin said. "It is where thousands of Warren mothers have safely delivered their children, where generations of our residents took their very first breaths, and where our families found trusted care during life's most precious moments.
"Change in healthcare is always difficult, but when it touches the birth of our children, it is especially unsettling."
The former Trumbull Regional Medical Center ended maternity services in December 2020.
Reporter Ed Runyan contributed to this story.