An issue that is of major importance to young families and mothers-to-be in our area was recently addressed at a SEARCH (Sustaining Essential and Rural Community Healthcare) meeting. The lack of Labor and Delivery in our area since Charles A. Cannon Jr. Memorial Hospital in Avery County ended its labor and delivery unit in 2015 and Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine closed this part of their services in 2017, was a part of Blue Ridge Partnership for Children’s “Moms and Babies” Project’s recent survey. The survey showed increased anxiety about the uncertainty of travel, distant pregnancy care providers not being easily accessible and insufficient coordination among care providers. The closure of Labor and Delivery at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital has increased the risk for poor birth outcomes in Mitchell and Yancey counties, particularly for mothers experiencing poverty, substance use disorders, alienation or isolation.
Katherine Savage, the Program Manager for the Alliance for Children, Blue Ridge Partnership for Children heads a task force that is seeking ways to address the needs that were expressed in the survey. The task force is looking at rural programs across the nation that have been successful at addressing similar needs and funding sources they could tap to meet those needs. Appalachian State University may be an important part of that equation. Before the end of the year, they will meet with providers and community stakeholders to move toward a solution.
Currently, there are eight labor and delivery units among the 18 counties of Western North Carolina. The lack of such services in the entire rural Western North Carolina area was recently addressed in a Mountain Express article.
To find out more go to searchwnc.org.
