Providence St. Joseph Claims Redwood Memorial Hospital Can’t Deliver: Closure Puts Rural Humboldt at Risk, Say Many in the Community

Brooke Dalton* with her husband Ryan at Redwood Memorial Hospital, tended to by nurses and Dr. Stephanie Stone during delivery of their baby in 2016. [Delivery of daughter Raegan Dalton provided by the Dalton Family, photo credit to Lisa Micheli]

Plans to shutter the long relied-upon OB department at Fortuna’s Redwood Memorial Hospital were only made public recently, but St. Joseph Hospital executives had already been making adjustments for its consolidation into the Eureka campus, unbeknownst to the community.  As of now, the planned closure is slated for July 1st, little more than three months away.  Citing two main reasons for the closure: a drop in deliveries, and loss of caregivers, St Joseph administration say the move is part of an enhancement of services at the Eureka location.  The prevailing opinion among many healthcare staff at Redwood Memorial is starkly opposed to consolidation of services with the Eureka Hospital – even asserting that OB resources were consciously diverted away from Redwood Memorial’s OB unit.

Providence St. Joseph Health which operates “some 50 hospitals and more than 800 clinics in seven states” claims that a lack of qualified obstetricians or family practitioners is one of the reasons forcing them to shutter the Redwood Memorial Hospital labor and delivery department.  Further reasoning cited by the large medical health system asserts that the Fortuna location is simply not delivering.

Kim Nichols, a local paramedic and EMT who reached out to the Redheaded Blackbelt and shared her personal birth story as an example of why the additional driving time to reach a hospital could be dangerous in her opinion. Nichols, who gave birth at Redwood Memorial told us,  “My last delivery was terrifying,” she explained. “I had sudden onset pre-eclampsia, my baby was breech, and there was some fetal distress.”

Nichols said, “People who live in the more rural parts of Humboldt already travel great distances to have access to care providers and facilities. In emergencies of any kind, time is critical.”  Being acutely familiar with emergency circumstances due to her experience as a local paramedic, Nichols explained, “When patients must already travel for an hour or more to get to a facility, they are already at a disadvantage in a situation, like labor, that has potential to turn into an emergency.”

When a woman goes into labor naturally, without being induced at a hospital, it is generally not an event that can be planned with any real certainty.   Predictably, when this occurs in very rural parts of the county – such as in Hoopa, Alderpoint, Whitethorn, Honeydew or even Garberville – the emergency is far more dire considering the lack of immediate resources available and the distance needed to travel to get to a delivery room.  As a paramedic familiar with emergency medical situations, Nichols knew she was in jeopardy of losing her baby, or worse.

As a local EMT, Nichols has been on the frontline of emergency care in Humboldt County, has dealt with life and loss in that professional capacity.  As a result, she has a keen awareness regarding medical risk and potential for emergencies to ‘go south’ – so to speak.  Acknowledging her own vulnerability as a stakeholder in the local healthcare system, she wrote, “I’m only a paramedic, not a doctor or a nurse, but more importantly I’m a member of this community. I don’t want to see my friends and family suffer because the hospital management decided to [put] profit over people.”

Describing her birth experience, Kim Nichols said that at Redwood Memorial Hospital she had “quick access to an excellent doctor [Dr Shereshevsky], who recognized the emergency for what it was, great nurses who supported me and were able to provide extra hands for the doctor during surgery preparation, and I had a good outcome despite [the] odds.”  As an EMT who has also experienced giving birth first hand, she reiterated that the process of enduring labor and birthing a baby are by its very nature both automatic and potentially complicated, having the undeniable characteristic of being an emergency, each and every time.

Nichols described her difficult birth experience, well aware of how lucky she was.  “My baby had a true overhand knot in the cord- if I had to wait any longer, that cord could have tightened – and my baby would have died,” she explained. “I could have easily become a statistic if I hadn’t had that quick access.”

Typically, driving the speed limit from the freeway exit at Redway’s north end in Southern Humboldt and traveling to Eureka on Hwy 101 takes no less than one hour and ten minutes, spanning 66 miles to reach the Dolbeer Street entrance at St. Joseph Hospital – without traffic or construction issues–and the situation is compounded during winter storms or after serious accidents.  The length of the drive also depends on access to a vehicle, on how long the private road is before even reaching the 101, etc.  Nichols said in regard to extending the ride for women in labor, “Another 40 minutes to a facility that can help obstetrics patients is, to me, asking for deaths and serious injury to both mother and baby that are potentially avoidable.”

She added, “My experience in emergency medical services in Humboldt has made me  painfully aware of healthcare disparities in our community.  Humboldt is essentially an island where residents have no real choice when it comes to medical facilities… .” Nichols also reflected on the lack of options available to the rural moms in the area, noting, “Patients in Humboldt are at the mercy of whatever the St Joseph Health System deems worthwhile.”  Nichols added, “This is a chronically underserved county, and many emergencies are life-flighted out of the area simply because we lack the resources to handle them.”

The February 26 press release notifying the public of the drastic change in local healthcare services for families quotes St Joseph Hospital’s CEO Roberta Luskin-Hawk stating, “Operationally, it’s been very challenging to support both programs.”  According to the press release, there were attempts “to recruit a physician with training in obstetrics and gynecology.” The statement asserts, “Despite that effort and the addition of family physicians with obstetric privileges to Open Door Community Health Centers, the community once again faces challenges with the loss of women’s services physicians and support staff.”

The announcement by St Joseph Hospital proclaims these services will be funnelled northward to Eureka, and characterizing the move as a benefit to obstetrics care in Humboldt County overall.  St. Joseph Hospital CEO explained, “Consolidating programs will further ensure top-tier obstetric and gynecological providers will be on hand to support moms and babies.”  While bringing the southernmost labor and delivery center of the County to a close without inviting public input on the decision, St. Joseph described their vision, writing, “Childbirth services will be transitioned to the obstetrics program at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka (SJE), incorporating the staff and the legacy of both programs to create a single, high-quality childbirth center.”

The controversial notion that family practitioners being discouraged from practicing locally was echoed by several healthcare professionals who provided feedback for this article.  Several sources who were unwilling to be quoted by name because they feared retaliation said that resources were purposely withheld, that requests for administrative support were ignored, and that providers were routinely denied privileges in providing OB care, which were originally offered as a condition of employment.

Many expectant moms, as well as OB nurses have spoken out publicly in various recent interviews, some claiming that births are actually on the rise in rural areas, and that additional staffing in the OB department could benefit the Fortuna location, even noting that multiple local important care providers in the field of expertise had left the area due to lack of support within the institution.  According to the California Nurses Association press release in response to the announcement that the Fortuna birthing center would be closed, “Providence Health, which acquired St. Joseph Eureka and Redwood Memorial in 2015, claims that declining delivery rates at Redwood Memorial Hospital are behind its decision to close the labor and delivery unit. However, the temporary decline is in fact the result of a deliberate effort by Providence not to recruit, retain, and support family physicians or OB-GYN providers to the area.”

Brooke and Ryan Dalton are Fortuna locals, and were both born at RMH, where the loss of OB services would certainly hit home for this third generation growing Humboldt family. (Delivery of daughter Raegan Dalton provided by the Dalton Family, photo credit to Lisa Micheli.)

Nurses and medical professionals we spoke with, who each object to the closure on the basis of patient quality of care and safety not only point to the inherent risks involved in maternity care, but also voiced concern that patients who are not receiving adequate prenatal care, also may not be getting advised appropriately in regard to their options in labor and delivery choices.  These medical professionals who are trained to deal with labor and delivery emergencies independently expressed a real concern that patients may not have been properly informed of their OB care options, and therefore could be excluded from making truly autonomous choices in what can be a life-changing decision for a mother and family.

From her perspective as an experienced EMT and first responder, Kim Nichols explained that labor and delivery is anything but a predictable process.  “Even something as simple as a maternal fall in the third trimester can cause problems like fetal damage or placental abruption that need immediate intervention,” said Nichols.  Not only is birthing a baby a very delicate process, but the many months of prenatal care leading up to a delivery can also be life-changing, very literally. 

“Imagine realizing your baby isn’t kicking, and trying not to panic as you double check, knowing that you have at least 40 minutes more (and that’s provided you’re coming from somewhere in the Eel River Valley) before you can even be evaluated by a labor nurse,” Nichols said. Putting the risk into perspective, she summed it up by asking, “ Why make that intervention harder to reach? So much life and death can happen in just a few minutes- 40 minutes feels like a lifetime.”

Since the announcement was made public, the community’s reaction following the news has been widely characterized by outrage and shock and many healthcare employees  have expressed alarm..  Fallout from the public notice of the planned closure includes the loss of a local doctor at Fortuna Open Door Clinic, Dr. Stephanie Dittmer MD., whose office notified clients of her leaving abruptly with a digital message on March 2, the same day as the doctor leaving the clinic, only two days following the announcement from St. Joes.  On that same day, Dittmer told North Coast News, “[T]he community has always expected obstetrics to be accessible to them at this hospital, and as a medical anthropologist I believe that the community should determine what care they should receive, and in what setting.”

According to patients of the clinic, this is the message circulated to clinic patients on March 2, following the announcement by St. Joseph Hospital.

It is yet to be seen how many of the currently employed nursing and OB staff will be offered alternative employment at St. Joseph in Eureka  At the time of publishing, we can not confirm any employees from Redwood Memorial Hospital are currently in contract negotiations for employment for the transition of services from Fortuna to Eureka.

The California Nurses Association (CNA) in conjunction with the Nation Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) released a lengthy objection to the closure, citing reasons for maintaining the Fortuna labor and delivery department including concerns for community health overall.  The March 4th press release from CNA quotes local nurses who currently are working in the OB unit at Redwood Memorial, and object to the slated closure on grounds of ethics, patient safety, and quality of care.

A rally in Eureka on January 24, 2019 at the Harrison Street Emergency Room entrance of St Joseph Hospital in Eureka, where an informational picket was previously held by local NUHW/CNA Union members advocating for patient safety, and rallying in support of transparency in staffing policies and higher standards of patient care.  [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

The CNA statement in response to the closure calls attention to the binding agreement previously protecting the Obstetrics Department in Fortuna, and notes that according to St. Joseph’s  Hospital CEO Dr. Roberta Luskin-Hawk, the planned closure will be in effect the day after the current agreement expires, on July 1st, 2021.

The contract for services between the CA AG and multiple hospital groups and community agencies sets out terms of commitment, and specifies those terms of commitment to RMH OB department on page 3, outlined in section 4 of the agreement, stating,

“For five years from the closing date of the Health System Combination Agreement , St. Joseph Health System and Redwood Memorial Hospital of Fortuna Corporation shall operate and maintain Redwood Memorial Hospital of Fortuna as a licensed general acute care hospital (as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 1250) and shall maintain and provide the following healthcare services at current2 licensure and designation with the current types and/or levels of services at Redwood Memorial Hospital of Fortuna:

 a) 24-hour emergency medical services, including a minimum of 8 emergency treatment stations, designation as a Modified Base Hospital, and designation as an Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics;

 b) Intensive care services, including [sic] of a minimum of 4 intensive care beds; 2 The term “current ” or “currently” throughout this document means as of November l, 2015.  

c) Obstetrics services, including a minimum of 8 obstetrics beds; and 

d) Pediatric services; and 

e) Women’s services, including digital mammography. 

St. Joseph Health System and Redwood Memorial Hospital of Fortuna Corporation shall not place all or any portion of the above-listed licensed-bed capacity or services in voluntary suspension or surrender its license for any of these beds or services.”

Screenshot of petition.

As the community grapples with St. Joseph Health’s decision to close Redwood Memorial’s birthing center, two petitions have been circulated in support of maintaining services at New Beginnings. A change.org petition, titled Save Women & Children’s Health Services in the Eel River Valley, directed to CA Attorney General Xavier Bacerra was initiated by former attorney and community organizer David Cobb, and has nearly 4,000 signatures applied online.

The description of the petition includes a link to the previous 2015 agreement between St. Joseph Hospital and the California Attorney General for the public to review.  

A second petition started by Susie Toerpe – March 3, 2020 is titled “Save RMH Moms and Babies” is also getting attention. Interested community members are invited to call (707) 407-5599 for more information.

Screenshot of website with the Eel River Valley Mom’s petition.

 A Facebook group has been created to allow for more public discussion, and local healthcare activists are taking notice. An email blast Sunday, March 7 from HealthCareForAll-Humboldt called on all of its members of the medicare-for-all coalition to join the chorus of voices lobbying to save Fortuna’s OB unit.   The email asked for support, directing members to the petition by Eel River Valley Moms, writing in part, “Dear Jonesing-for-Healthcare Justice Cage Rattlers!  This is the third time in 15 years that St. Joseph Health has attempted to shut down the OB unit at Redwood Memorial Hospital. Each time the community has risen up and pushed back with data that demonstrates how vital this service is to Eel River Valley and Southern Humboldt families. This time is no different.”

When we submitted questions, St. Joseph Hospital Communications Director issued a statement to us and told us to reference that although it did not answer all of our questions. Additionally, a press release was received from California Nurses Union, referenced herein.  

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34 Comments
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Swine
Guest
Swine
3 years ago

Hopefully other women can learn that being pregnant is not a medical condition. While sometimes requiring medical attention, it is not in and out f itself a medical problem. We have to become indoctrinated.. for the sake of women and their babies… Power and resepxt to the birthworkers of our area.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Swine

Having attended a few births of livestock, provided assistance when birth went wrong and the vet was not available, that is cavalier nonsense. Most births are without problem but when problems do happen, if hospital medical help is not close, it can be fatal. A civilized community owes that help to its citizens. Period.

Swine
Guest
Swine
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

That is not cavalier nonsense at all… Women gave birth for thousands of years.. without medical intervention. I too have witnessed and husbanded many livestock births and 90 percent of the time I haven’t had to do anything. A different view or opinion or truth than yours is not cavalier.. especially if it is more in line with natural order.. birth is not a medical condition. Period.

Kym Kemp
Admin
3 years ago
Reply to  Swine

Having had two homebirths and one hospital birth, I vastly preferred the home births. That said, having the option to go to a hospital if circumstances changed was part of weighing our options.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Swine

They aren’t huge numbers of deaths but they are unnecessary deaths.

Infants can die at birth too- “Dr. Amos Grunebaum and colleagues found that on average, nearly 14 newborns per 10,000 live births died following planned home births – more than four times the rate for babies born in hospitals.

…the current study found that the type of midwife was not the determining factor for infant mortality rates. Rather the location – home versus hospital – was key.

Compared to the 3.27/10,000 mortality rate when certified nurse-midwives attended hospital deliveries, mortality when certified nurse-midwives attended planned home births was almost three-fold higher, at 9.28 per 10,000. With non-certified midwives, mortality for babies born in planned home births was 12.44/10,000.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-homebirths-newborn-mortality-idUSKBN20N0R0

Women can die in child birth- usually from eclampsia or bleeding. It happens suddenly when it happens. “In the US, childbirth has been growing more dangerous recently. Maternal mortality — defined as the death of a mother from pregnancy-related complications while she’s carrying or within 42 days after birth — in the US soared by 27 percent, from 19 per 100,000 to 24 per 100,000, between 2000 .” https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/6/29/15830970/women-health-care-maternal-mortality-rate

California has done some simple things to turn around the death rates for child birth. One of them is simply to have equipment and procedures in place in hospital settings to be available in case something does go wrong. And it has worked.

Swine
Guest
Swine
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

It’s also called nature.. I know we think we above it
But it reigns and will have the last laugh..

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
3 years ago
Reply to  Swine

Yeah, we should just go back to the turn of the 20th century when the average life expectancy was 40 years old and when one of the leading causes of death for women was complications from childbirth.

People are just livestock after all, aren’t they swine?

...reminds me of a time!
Guest
...reminds me of a time!
3 years ago

We were having an extended home birth, with our first kid and hit the Go-to-the-hospital time. Redwood was the closest, about an Hour and a half away. We called to let them know we were coming, and the on-call obstetrician, sounded put out, and said “I just rented videos”! (20 years ago)
Oops sorry. Our Daughter opted to pop out at Scotia by the bridge instead!

Zipline
Guest
Zipline
3 years ago

People choose to life in extremely rural conditions yet expect big city levels of care. Sounds like extreme white entitlement. You have to drive over an hour from Garberville. Wow, did you consider this when choosing a place to live. Many people have to leave as medical conditions overwhelm the ability of local small hospitals to provide care. People are all experts at spending other people money.

Steve Koch
Guest
Steve Koch
3 years ago
Reply to  Zipline

ok, that is a little bit strong on people being responsible for their own decisions and very weak in terms of emotional, passionate, anecdotal appeals. Plus it was terse and to the point, thus way too easy to read.

the misadventures of bunjee
Guest
the misadventures of bunjee
3 years ago
Reply to  Zipline

What a rather swine-y response. Anything that directly affects your health and well being that requires care is “medical”.

Swine
Guest
Swine
3 years ago

Of course I was referring to it needing a hospital. It is not a traumatic medical condition that necessitates the use of modern medicine all the time. Of course there are exceptions to the rule.. we are all very indoctrinated into believing that we need these institutions of modern medicine, however advanced and life saving, to be the end all be all out our health. They are not

Willow Creeker
Guest
Willow Creeker
3 years ago
Reply to  Swine

Swine as usual you are somewhat right but not informed by real life experience. You are probably young and hardheaded like I was. Birthing, when it goes well, is a natural beautiful thing that can happen without medical help. But when things go wrong, which can happen suddenly and without warning, immediate medical attention can be necessary to avoid death.
I’m not trying to sound patronizing but I’m sure I do.

Swine
Guest
Swine
3 years ago
Reply to  Willow Creeker

Don’t assume.too much. I have 2 children
One born at.home.and one a a hospital. I’m never said hospitals weren’t a good thing
Just.offering my opinion on our ok indoctrination.. hard headed

Yes

the misadventures of bunjee
Guest
the misadventures of bunjee
3 years ago
Reply to  Zipline

Expectations are white entitlement now? You’re misguided on more levels than need to be explained. [edit]

Xebeche
Guest
Xebeche
3 years ago
Reply to  Zipline

Zipline, when I moved to this area 50 years ago babies were still being born in GARBERVILLE. You seem to believe we should all move to Eureka so we can have first world medical care. THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS. Things should improve, not deteriorate, with the passage of time.

Zipline
Guest
Zipline
3 years ago
Reply to  Xebeche

Children are still being born in Garberville. Just not in the hospital, and that’s exactly how “things” work. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

Steve Koch
Guest
Steve Koch
3 years ago

Maybe Providence selling the Fortuna hospital to a group of concerned citizens might be a solution. The new buyers could assume financial responsibility for the hospital while outsourcing the management of the hospital. Maybe Providence could manage it for them once Providence no longer has the financial risk of owning a hospital that is not a center of excellence (by their standards).

Zipline
Guest
Zipline
3 years ago
Reply to  Steve Koch

Excellent idea!! Watch everyone shut up when they find out how much it costs.

Hydesville Mom To Be
Guest
Hydesville Mom To Be
3 years ago
Reply to  Zipline

Redwood Memorial reported a profit of $11.8 million in 2019 (the most recent year with data available). Just an FYI.
But of course, everyone knows OB units aren’t profitable, which is why Providence is making this move to consolidate, leaving families who have always relied on the Redwood Memorial location for women’s health care in the lurch.
On a personal note: I waited until I was in a stable position, able to afford and care for a baby, before getting pregnant, and now at 38, I need to be close to a hospital…even IF I wanted to deliver at home…it’s not recommended for me (or by my Open Door Family Physician, who I love, and who contracts with RMH) to try to give birth at my age without being close to a hospital. I saved for years and bought my home with all of this in mind. Seems like women are faced with lessening options thanks to corporate moves when we are just trying to do what is right for our families.
Source re: Providence profits below.
https://krcrtv.com/north-coast-news/eureka-local-news/in-scathing-rebuke-redwood-memorial-hospital-nurses-say-they-oppose-closure-of-labor-unit?fbclid=IwAR0TqZEPpya6UrdOM_qWLl7APjDMK4wCZfF41lE9XdOdjhl4g3adbpuj9-k

Puest
Guest
Puest
3 years ago
Reply to  Steve Koch

They could possibly sell the Hospital to Humboldt Open Door Clinic!!! They already sold or leased or ??? the Clinics around such as Fortuna & Ferndale at least!!!

Steve Koch
Guest
Steve Koch
3 years ago
Reply to  Puest

great idea!

LaRose
Guest
LaRose
3 years ago

It’s been over 20 years since the hospital in Garberville offered to deliver babies.

Martin
Guest
Martin
3 years ago

I, for one have lost all hope of Redwood Memorial Hospital keeping their OB unit. It does not seem to matter what people say or do they already have their greedy minds made up. I think the Sisters of St. Orange are completely run by the devil. What goes around, comes around, and I pray they will pay dearly for their rotten decision. May God guide the mother’s in need a safe trip to Eureka to have their wee ones.

ChristineZaffrano
Guest
ChristineZaffrano
3 years ago
Reply to  Martin

That would be “Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange”. Do try and get the names right when you post.

Jeffersonian
Guest
Jeffersonian
3 years ago
Reply to  Martin

The sisters of st. Joseph are gone with the wind. Its providence now.

VMG
Guest
VMG
3 years ago

Interesting news day:

We have a father abandoning a child, in a pickup, in traffic…

A report that folks are “not leaving CA” as reported often, elsewhere, and,

A report that St Joseph’s feels that women are not having babies at a high enough rate to support an OB unit in Fortuna, as well as one 15 miles away…

So, with the reported increase in Humboldt’s population, which may be temporary due to people “working remotely”, which is happening everywhere outside San Francisco, apparently none of them are pregnant, planning to need reproductive services, or ever planning to have children!

Women, especially, but everyone in Northern Humboldt, should join the Nurse’s Association, and stage continuous protests outside St Joseph’s!

St Joseph’s is basically abandoning their responsibility to provide services to Women, and their excuse is pretty absurd, considering that we are in the middle of a pandemic!

The US Government gave these entitled knuckleheads a pile of money to maintain services,
and instead, the Corporation has decided to use a lull in patient-load to shutter an essential component of local care!

St Joseph’s was planning this for a long time, it’s not a new idea!

The Corporation is continuing it’s campaign to limit Women’s Health, and to cut costs on the backs of the folks who need services maintained!

It’s very simple: St Joseph’s does not care for the community, for Humboldt County.

All St Joseph’s cares about is money.

Best thing to do: Boycott St Joseph’s.

Remember, midwives are available, they are pretty great! Even the ER at Jerold Phelps can probably help, in a real emergency…

Get Helicopter Ambulance service, too! It’s cheap and it could well save your life!

Don’t rely on St Joseph’s, and avoid using it! Support your local healthcare organization, use Kimaw, Open Door, and learn to travel for better service.

Tell St Joseph’s that they are finished being your provider, until they adjust the service level and support the half of the population which may well occasionally give birth!

Stand with the Nurses! Namaste!

Steve Koch
Guest
Steve Koch
3 years ago
Reply to  VMG

Instead of marching and confrontation, why not try to negotiate a compromise with Providence? Maybe at least try to get Providence to agree that they will at least deliver babies on an emergency basis in Fortuna when it is necessary?

Albus Dumbledore
Guest
Albus Dumbledore
3 years ago

First it’s OB. What’s next? ICU, the regular ward? Don’t let your guard down Eel river and So Hum. There’s already rumors and I wouldn’t believe if they try…again. See this is what happens when you hire CEOs (Roberta Luskin Hawk) and CNO (Dan Kelly). They are from out of the area and have no roots or any vested interest in our community. They bring their big city tactics to our county and think it will work here. They don’t understand about the intricacies of our county and the micro communities in the surrounding areas. It feels like most of these executives only care about how much fat they can trim so they can get their yearly bonus. It’s truly very disheartening to see what they’re doing to what the Sisters of St. Joseph’s worked hard for.

avenuerider
Guest
3 years ago

Having a daughter and a grandson born in that hospital I have to say this is totally unacceptable!!! Money first, healthcare last not happening!!!

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

Dr. Stephanie Stone is awesome, she delivered both of our children.

mlr the giant squirrel in Eureka
Guest
mlr the giant squirrel in Eureka
3 years ago

I’ll have them the old fashioned way, in a tree

Women & Children LAST
Guest
Women & Children LAST
3 years ago

Maybe it is hard to recruit OB-GYNs because St. Joe’s does not allow them to perform tubal ligations or VBACs.
Are OB-GYNs still permitted to discuss contraception in St. Joe’s facilities?

duckduckgoose
Guest
duckduckgoose
3 years ago

They will be trying to shut down other specialties at Fortuna. They seem to be losing not only gynecologists but also other specialists in numbers. Those specialists are not being replaced. Poor efforts. Staff is upset and not just in the Women’s center.

This is a Catholic charity/nonprofit corporation which makes an enormous profit and pays it’s Washington state based CEOs a disgusting amount of money.

They have associated businesses which they own stocks in which are on the stock market, and also a lot of private bond investors who make money from loans to the corporation. Some of those bondholders are on their board.

Protest would be well aimed at the Bishops and greater area Dioceses which oversee the charities. The church has hired sociopaths to run the business. Sociopaths have no business directing a Catholic organization. Some part of church collections also go towards hospitals and charity. Members of those churches have a right to know how those funds are distributed and have as much invested as private professional wall st investors. Boycotts of church baskets and donations would definitely draw their attention as well.

Location is not an absolute here. This will be going on in many locations within the corporation’s direction. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.