As of July 31, Wilkes-Barre General Hospital will no longer provide planned inpatient labor and delivery services.
Commonwealth Health announced in a press release issued Tuesday that General Hospital “has begun to work to wind down childbirth services” with the intent to end inpatient childbirth services by the stated date.
“This has been a very difficult decision,” said Wilkes-Barre General Hospital CEO Simon Ratliff. “However, fewer births are occurring at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and within the local market and this coincides with the increasing average age of our local population.”
The release states that General Hospital has experienced a 50% decrease in deliveries over the past seven years, with even fewer deliveries expected in 2023.
Hospital leaders will work with obstetricians to support an orderly transition of patients’ non-emergent deliveries to another hospital.
Expectant mothers will continue to have local options for receiving childbirth services at Moses Taylor Hospital, Geisinger Wyoming Valley and Geisinger Community Medical Center.
Patients experiencing an obstetrics-related medical emergency will still be treated at General Hospital. Gynecological services and surgeries will continue to be provided at the hospital.
All nurses and personnel who staff the obstetrics unit and clinics will be given the opportunity to apply to other open positions at Commonwealth Health.