Ohiohealth to close maternity department at Shelby Hospital

SHELBY, Ohio – Ohiohealth announced that Ohiohealth Shelby Hospital will no longer provide maternity services as of February 28, at 11:59 PM. The hospital will continue to provide gynecologic procedures, such as hysterectomies or endometrial ablation. Women, who typically chose to deliver at Shelby Hospital, will be able to deliver close to home at Ohiohealth Mansfield Hospital, which is located 13 miles away.

“Changes such as these are never an easy decision to make. As we look at the continued trends in labor and delivery, we want to make sure the highest quality resources and support are available for our obstetric and newborn patients,” said Vinson Yates. “Across the nation, less babies are being delivered in rural and suburban hospitals. Many women from the Shelby area already select Mansfield Hospital for obstetric and newborn care.”

Mansfield Hospital continues to offer the most comprehensive maternity services across a six-county service area with pediatric hospitalists from Nationwide Children’s, high-risk neonatal care in a Level 2 special care nursery, and outpatient lactation services. In March, Mansfield Hospital will provide 24/7 on-site OBGYN coverage in addition to on-call coverage for newborn deliveries. This higher level of support and care is not typically provided by most community hospitals.

Shelby Hospital will continue to be a cornerstone in northern Richland County to meet the healthcare needs of Shelby and its surrounding communities. Shelby Hospital emergency department will be prepared if a laboring patient arrives to the hospital or an emergent delivery is needed.

The Ohiohealth Physician Group Obstetrics & Gynecology practice, located at 24 Morris Road, Suite C, and adjacent to Shelby Hospital, will continue to provide pre-natal and post-natal care, in addition to the gynecologic care, to the Shelby and surrounding communities. The practice, which also has locations in Mansfield and Lexington, will continue obstetric deliveries at Mansfield Hospital and gynecologic procedures at Shelby Hospital and Mansfield Hospital.

About Ohiohealth Based in Columbus, Ohio, Ohiohealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church.

Serving its communities since 1891, it is a family of 35,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 14 hospitals, 200+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health, medical equipment and other health services spanning a 47-county area. It has been recognized by FORTUNE as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” 15 times since 2007. For more information, visit ohiohealth. com.