Press Release: Angel Medical Center Announces Changes to OB/GYN Program

PRESS RELEASE
Angel Medical Center


Angel Medical Center Announces Changes to OB/GYN Program

FRANKLIN, NC (April 25, 2017) – Angel Medical Center (AMC), a not-for-profit Critical Access Hospital located in Franklin, North Carolina, has announced plans to modify its OB/GYN program with the goal of sustaining women’s health services and hospital services in Macon County. AMC will discontinue labor and delivery services but will continue to provide pre- and post-natal services, gynecological services, surgical procedures as well as preventive, routine and complex care for women of all ages.

AMC is in the process of exploring several options for transitioning these services to Mission Hospital in Asheville, where a quarter of all Macon, Jackson and Swain county women already choose to deliver their babies, or alternatively to DLP Harris Hospital in Sylva to ensure that patients have access to needed care. A final plan will be in place before June, and July 14, 2017 will be the last date for labor and delivery component of Women’s Services at Angel Medical Center.

“Mission Health is contemplating significant, new investments totaling as much as $46M for a newly built hospital and upgrades to existing facilities based upon a detailed analysis of our population, broad healthcare delivery trends and pending health policy changes. As part of that plan, we will be transitioning labor and delivery services from Angel Medical Center, looking to identify the optimal approach that reflects women’s existing choices and that will benefit our families in Franklin,” said Karen Gorby, RN, President and CNO, Angel Medical Center. “Our final decision will ensure that we have excellent labor and delivery services for our moms and babies combined with full-time, local pre- and post-natal care, gynecology services and other women’s health services in Franklin. We will share more information on the details of the transition of labor and delivery services in the coming weeks,” said Ms. Gorby.

The decision to discontinue labor and delivery services was made after an extensive analysis of AMC’s Women’s and Children’s services. Based on an assessment of the medical center’s clinical services, OB-GYN and pediatric practice stability and fiscal sustainability, AMC and Mission Health determined that discontinuing labor and delivery services at AMC is the responsible decision for the sustainable future of Macon County’s community health, wellness and inpatient services.

AMC and Mission Health remain fully committed to providing outstanding local care for Macon County patients, families and community partners and plan for continued growth and investments in its dedicated caregivers and communities.

ABOUT ANGEL MEDICAL CENTER

Angel Medical Center, a member of Mission Health, is a full-service, not-for-profit community hospital serving Macon and the surrounding counties. Located in Franklin, N.C., Angel Medical Center is a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital offering inpatient services that include a women’s and children’s health unit, an intensive care unit, and a medical and surgical unit. Outpatient services include a wound clinic, chemotherapy services, a full laboratory, digital mammography, CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, rehab therapy, as well as surgical and endoscopy services. The hospital also operates the Angel Urgent Care Center and Angel Home Health & Hospice. For more information, please visit angelmed.org.

ABOUT MISSION HEALTH

Mission Health, based in Asheville, North Carolina, is the state’s sixth-largest health system and was recognized as one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems from 2012-2015 by Truven Health Analytics, formerly Thomson Reuters, becoming the only health system in North Carolina to achieve this recognition. Mission Health operates six hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers, post- acute care provider CarePartners, long-term acute care provider Asheville Specialty Hospital, and the region’s only dedicated Level II trauma center. With approximately 12,000 team members and 2,000 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina. For more information, please visit mission-health.org or @MissionHealthNC.