Shelby Baptist in Alabaster and Monroe County Hospital will be the first two to close their units by the end of October. Princeton Baptist in Birmingham will stop deliveries a few weeks later.While the loss of Shelby’s and Princeton’s wards will have little direct impact, the loss of Monroe County’s maternity ward will force women to drive either 35 miles west to Grove Hill, 60 miles east to Andalusia or at least 80 miles to Mobile, making transportation a bigger barrier to access care.
Alabama Hospital Association president and CEO Dr. Donald Williamson said hospitals have either been extremely short of personnel or have lost a substantial amount of money from uninsured patients. A study by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform shows that 29 of 52 rural hospitals are at risk of closing, with 19 at immediate risk due to financial or personnel loss.