STANFORD, Ky. (LEX 18) — Several mothers report that the obstetric (OB) unit at the Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford has made a lasting impact on them due to exceptional care.
In January, the hospital was awarded the prestigious DAISY Team Award for what many mothers refer to as exceptional nurses.
However, that positive experience for many is about to change, as the unit prepares to relocate from Stanford to Danville on Monday, Feb. 16.
"When I got to come here and bring my son into the world, the staff met me at the door and they said, 'We are so excited. We knew you were coming'... They just couldn't wait to meet him," said mother Carolyn Rothwell.
The announcement has devastated mothers, including Rothwell and Montana Velasquez, who has given birth to all three of her children at the hospital. Velasquez is currently expecting another baby.
"When I first heard the news, I was just shattered. It took me a minute to realize that it was actually closing. And I reached out to my provider's office and they found out the same day we did," she said.
Now, Velasquez and other mothers are using their voices to halt the move. She has started a petition that has garnered over 4,000 signatures to keep the OB unit at its current location.
According to Ephraim McDowell Health's website, the new location will offer additional capacity and include a Level 2 Special Care Nursery. The hospital website states that this move will provide more efficient and elevated care for babies and mothers.
However, the new location is 11 miles away from its current location, adding an estimated 15 minutes to the drive. For Velasquez, whose baby is due in May and who has a history of high-risk pregnancies, she believes those extra minutes could be life-saving.
"I have experienced an obstetric emergency before, and if I wouldn't have had a middle area to stabilize me, I don't know what the outcome would've been for me or my baby," Velasquez said. "And, a lot of women will be in that situation."
The move has some mothers reconsidering having more children, altogether.
"My husband and I have [talked about having more children]... It was 100% a no brainer that we would have it here with our people, and now I don't know what we're going to do," Rothwell said.
Velasquez and other community members have remained determined to keep the OB unit in town. Velasquez told LEX 18 that she hopes her pregnancy journey will come full circle at the same hospital where it all began.
"Hopefully this one that I'm carrying will be due, and I'm hoping to finish my journey here. It's where it started, so it will be great if it can be where it finishes," Velasquez said.
To learn more about the move and the hospital's explanation, visit this link: Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan Hospital Obstetric Services Consolidating with Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center - Ephraim McDowell Health
To sign or to learn more about Valesquez's petition, visit this link: A Community’s Plea to Keep Fort Logan’s Birthing Unit Open
