LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — FOX5 is getting answers for concerned families in one part of the Las Vegas Valley as the only maternity and neonatal intensive care services next month to free up space for medical-surgical needs, hospital leadership announced.
The hospital will cease offering maternity and NICU services at 7 p.m. on Sept. 30., according to a August 12 announcement.
In a new statement today, Valley Health System refers pregnant patients to their other facilities:
“For those who are expecting a baby, please talk with your OB /GYN about the hospital that can best accommodate your needs. Within The Valley Health System, Centennial Hills, Spring Valley and Summerlin hospitals all offer comprehensive maternity services including antepartum care, labor and delivery, post-partum, Level II and Level III neonatal intensive care units and a wide range of childbirth and breastfeeding classes, along with unique course offerings like boot camps, infant massage, post-partum classes and support groups.”
The closest location to East Henderson is Spring Valley, at around 10 miles away. Other suggested locations are a 30-minute drive away.
All mothers and babies currently at the facility will continue receiving care until they are safely discharged or transferred to another Valley Health System facility,; The main emergency department and freestanding emergency rooms will maintain 24/7 physician coverage for gynecological emergencies, the previous statement said.
Families and one city leader have voiced concerns about access for months.
“I do know a few pregnant people right now that were planning to go there… it’s just devastating that they now have to travel far or get in an ambulance, or just something that’s not convenient,” said mom Jillian Alvarez, who needed Henderson Hospital for an emergency and unexpected delivery; she had planned a home birth.
“I was pushing for 4 hours. He got stuck in my pelvis, and they had to do an emergency C-section,” Alvarez said. Two months later, Alvarez learned her heart had been failing the whole time and relied on Henderson Hospital again: she needed doctors to install a pacemaker.
“I’m actually really sad that [the Women’s Services unit is] closing,” Alvarez said.
Nurses raised concerns that the closest hospitals with Level III NICUs are around 10 miles away: St. Rose Siena Hospital and Sunrise Hospital. Some patients are already driving from Utah and Kingman, Arizona for services, they tell FOX5.
What does this mean for patients? Dr. Jennifer Vanderlaan at the UNLV School of Nursing, a health systems researcher, has been tracking the trends for closures across the country.
Some areas have lost their only hospital with NICU and maternity services.
“Generally, when a hospital closes their obstetric unit, it’s because they don’t have enough births to cover the bills. Obstetric units are incredibly expensive,” Dr. Vanderlaan said.
“I agree that this is a problem, but it’s not as big of a problem as these other places. To lose a hospital where there’s another hospital that’s only ten minutes away, I think families should feel confident that they still will have access to the care that they need,” she said.
“Once Henderson closes, I believe we’re going to have seven hospitals that people can choose from. But when I say choose from, you need to understand you might be limited by your insurance to which options you have,” Dr. Vanderlaan said, noting that it’s not uncommon for hospitals in an area to pool resources at bigger facilities.
For families that rely on Henderson Hospital, Dr. Vaanderlan recommends talking to your provider, midwife or obstetrician: ask them what other hospitals they have a credential for. If you do want to deliver at a particular hospital, some families may have to switch providers depending on the due date.
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