Maternity clinic will close its doors after today

By COLLIN GALLANT on July 15, 2021.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Today is the final day of operations for the Medicine Hat maternity clinic, which closes its doors after 18 years following a funding disagreement with the province.

Last fall the clinic, operated by a rotation of local physicians to oversee expected mothers without an obstetrician, announced that reduced funding to Palliser Primary Care network and new rent requirements put its continued operations in jeopardy.

A bridge funding agreement was put in place but that ends this month, and the facility, located near the entrance of the new wing of the Medicine Hat Regional hospital, will no longer operate.

“We had a model that was cutting edge of what is considered ideal service model for expectant mothers, and that has all been lost,” said Dr. Gerry Prince.

“What’s confusing is that only family physicians are being forced out. AHS is continuing to fund the high-risk clinic that runs right alongside us in the same space.”

Prenatal care will be moved to physicians offices while deliveries – about 1,000 per year in Medicine Hat – will continue under the same group of local doctors, said Prince.

“(Palliser Health Network) has really stepped up to help us support the transition,” he said, noting a recent refresher seminar for general practitioners and the funding of a roving prenatal nurse to assist doctors.

The News has previously reported that the clinic handled about 500 to 600 patients each year, who required a total of 9,000 or more combined appointments before they came to term.

On social media Wednesday, Medicine Hat-Cypress MLA Drew Barnes renewed his previous support for the clinic to remain in operations.