Marble Falls loses labor-delivery unit
Baylor Scott & White Health announced July 31 that it would continue offering labor and delivery services at its Marble Falls medical center. It had previously announced July 28 it was curtailing those services in Marble Falls.
Baylor Scott & White Health will no longer provide labor and delivery services at its Marble Falls medical center as of July 31, the health care system recently announced.
The labor and delivery department is being absorbed by Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Lakeway to make way for medical and surgical services such as orthopedics, ophthalmology, and endocrinology at the Marble Falls facility. The final day for deliveries in Marble Falls is July 28.
“The pitch for building support for the hospital both politically as well as financially was ‘womb to tomb care,’” said Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Christian Fletcher. “Obviously, losing the labor and delivery unit, we hate to hear it, but the rationale behind opening up one of the operating rooms for more surgical procedures, which is a growth area at the hospital, makes sense.”
The Marble Falls hospital opened in 2015.
The change comes after the May 26 announcement that Baylor Scott & White Health would — systemwide — lay off about 3 percent of its employees, furlough an unspecified number of other workers, cut pay for some, discontinue underutilized services, and close small clinics.
“Change is never easy but is a key part of transforming and reshaping our System for the future, and we are committed to supporting our colleagues through this transition, including working with impacted team members to match them with other positions in our System,” said Baylor Scott & White Health officials in an email.
Meanwhile, the Lakeway facility will discontinue Level 2 neonatal intensive care services for premature or sick newborns on June 30. It will still offer Level 1 services, basic care for babies that are well.
Both the Marble Falls and Lakeway facilities will continue offering other women’s services, including prenatal care and childbirth classes for expectant mothers, outpatient postnatal care, gynecological care, women’s imaging, and breast cancer surgery.
“At Baylor Scott & White, we are honored to have worked with so many families over the years, and it is our priority to exceed our patients’ expectations for safe, quality care when they choose to deliver at our facilities — even during this unprecedented time,” stated Baylor Scott & White Health officials.