Dear Robert,
I was pleased to see last week’s question about the potential maternity ward in the new Cherokee Indian Hospital. Our ribbon cutting is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2015 at 10am, and I hope the entire community comes out to celebrate with us.
The question of inclusion of a maternity ward and delivery room for the new facility was undertaken by our Governing Board, our medical staff and the facility designers. Several issues were considered in making this decision; among those issues the number of births, the safety and well-being to newborns and mothers, and how best to allocate the resources available.
A maternity ward and delivery room was not included in the new hospital because the potential risk was simply too high. Any child or mother who needed specialty care would have to be transported to another facility creating a delay in treatment which is a risk we were unwilling to take. We also considered the number of births. Annually we see less than 10 births per month. This number is better served by facilities with staff which are better equipped to provide a higher level of service.
We did not take this decision lightly however our greatest obligation is to our patient’s well-being.
Sincerely yours,
Casey Cooper
Chief Executive Officer
Cherokee Indian Hospital
