CHULA VISTA, Calif. — There’s a growing push to try and stop Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista from closing its maternity ward.
Scripps has said the closure is a consolidation decision that will help meet the rising number of emergency room patients they are currently seeing in Chula Vista.
But local doctors worry that decision is putting people's safety at risk, and they're calling on the California Department of Public Health to investigate.
“There must be some way that we can find a compromise,” said Dr. Susanna Chou, a family medicine doctor in Chula Vista.
Dr. Chou has treated patients both before and after they've delivered babies at Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista, and says taking away that option puts a lot of people at risk, especially considering it’s one of just two maternity wards in the entire South Bay.
"It is an incredible risk to patients who are often already relatively disenfranchised from the healthcare system," said Dr. Chou.
Scripps made the announcement earlier this month, saying it's moving its labor and delivery operations in Chula Vista 12 miles north to Hillcrest to help alleviate Chula Vista's crowded emergency department.
While that may not seem far to some, Dr. Chou says for others, it can mean the difference between seeing a doctor or not.
"Our sister hospital in San Diego is only 12 miles away. But that's by car without traffic, if you're going by bus, it takes about an hour and a half. Now think about doing that in active labor, or with a potentially at-risk pregnancy."
Scripps says its Chula Vista hospital will still deliver babies in emergency situations.
But, Dr. Chou is concerned they won't have the proper staff to do so safely. "Obstetrical emergencies are dramatic, and there are two patients involved. They do require specialty care. And when we are talking about, for instance, the rupture of the uterus, or the placenta detaching prior to birth, these are conditions that require specific treatments."
Dr. Chou, along with other local doctors, has written letters asking the California Department of Public Health to review the decision.
There's also a growing petition on change.org.
On March 19th, at 3:45 pm, Dr. Chou and others will rally across the street from Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista in the old Sears parking lot before marching to City Hall, where they'll voice their opinions during the city council meeting.
In a statement, Scripps told CBS8,
Scripps is committed to maintaining safe, high-quality emergency obstetrics services at Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista, both now and after the consolidation with Scripps Mercy San Diego is complete. We are continuing to work on the specific operational details of our OB services plan at Chula Vista as we move through the early stages of the 90-day regulatory notice period. We will ensure safe labor and delivery services with appropriate staffing, as well as safe handoffs and transfers after delivery, including neonatal transfers requiring intensive care with our partners at Rady Children’s Hospital. In addition, Scripps is providing full transparency to the California Department of Public Health and is completing all regulatory requirements related to this transition.
The California Department of Public Health said,
There is currently no requirement for CDPH to conduct an impact study. Hospitals are required to provide advance notice to include the specified information in Health and Safety Code section 1255.25. The notice is posted at the entrance to all affected facilities and notice is sent to CDPH and the board of supervisors of the county in which the health facility is located.
WATCH: Scripps Health plans to close its maternity ward in Chula Vista