MILWAUKEE — Expecting families on the south side of Milwaukee might need to adjust their plans as Ascension St. Francis Hospital announced that it will no longer offer labor and delivery services, instead transferring those patients to Ascension’s Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital or Wisconsin Hospital on the St. Joseph Campus before Christmas.
As confirmed by a spokesperson for Ascension Wisconsin, the final families will be entered into the Ascension St. Francis Labor and Delivery unit on December 21 with the last discharge slated for two days later on the 23rd. From there, experts on maternal and fetal care will be available via the emergency room until Jan. 7.
Specific details as to why this decision was made have yet to be made public. However, Ascension is ensuring the people it works with that they will be offered the same level of care and attention as before this transition. Gynecologic, prenatal and postpartum care will still be a part of the Ascension St. Francis Hospital services.
“Under this new arrangement, parents-to-be and babies will have access to a high level of infant and obstetrical care, including maternal-fetal medicine and neonatal specialty care, a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 24/7 obstetric emergency care, midwifery services and more,” an Ascension Wisconsin spokesperson stated. “This consolidation ensures access to the most comprehensive labor, delivery and postpartum services to all Ascension Wisconsin moms and babies.”
The spokesperson also noted that workers in the labor and delivery services division should have an opportunity to work with Ascension to find new opportunities in different facilities within the network.
The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals is scheduled to hold a rally outside of City Hall in Downtown Milwaukee on Tuesday, Dec. 16 in response to this decision. WTMJ plans to have continuing coverage of that story on-air and online as it unfolds.
“Ascension Wisconsin remains committed to providing compassionate, personalized, high-quality care, and this change ensures that moms, babies and all our patients will receive the care they need,” concluded the spokesperson.
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