Phoenix hospital birth center to be shut down despite nurse protests

Posted: 12/02/2010
Last Updated: 20 minutes ago
By: ABC15.com staff, wire reports
By: Saman Golestan, ABC15.com

PHOENIX - The birthing center at John C. Lincoln Hospital in north Phoenix will be shut down in two months, according to a decision from the hospital's health network board of directors.

Nurses lined up outside the Valley hospital to protest the shut down, which was reviewed at a board meeting Thursday.

The birthing center has averaged a $1 million operational loss over the last few years, according to a statement from the board of directors.

The statement said the majority of the patients at the birthing center are on AHCCCS, and due to continuing cuts to AHCCCS, the birthing center will have an estimated operating loss of $2.2 million this fiscal year.

The release also states that there are six other large birthing centers nearby which have the capacity to absorb the 1,350 patients the center sees every year.

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_ph ... rth-center