The state of Maine is facing a critical healthcare crisis as the proposed closure of Miles Hospital’s labor and delivery center threatens to leave a rural community without access to essential birthing services.
A Grassroots Coalition Takes Action
At the forefront of this fight is the Miles Delivers Action Coalition, a grassroots organization formed by three local mothers – Margaret Reynolds, Moira Rosie Richards, and Leslie Wolfe – who are determined to protect the labor and delivery department at Miles Hospital.
The coalition was born out of a sense of urgency and concern for the well-being of expectant mothers in the community. In a school gym packed with nearly 300 people, the coalition launched its campaign on June 2, with Leah Hurwitz sharing her heart-wrenching story of giving birth to her breech baby at Miles Hospital. Her daughter’s head got stuck, and she lost oxygen for seven minutes. If she had been five minutes later, her daughter would not be alive today.
The Miles Delivers Action Coalition has been conducting extensive research, gathering data, and advocating for transparency on the part of MaineHealth, the state’s largest nonprofit health system. They have been pushing for sustainable solutions to cover 24/7 care and have proposed clinician resumes to address the staffing struggles.
However, the coalition has been met with a lukewarm reception from MaineHealth’s CEO, Andy Mueller. He has emphasized the challenges of staffing a labor and delivery unit and the confusion it causes for patients. The coalition has countered that for many people, drive times to other MaineHealth hospitals would be an hour or more, especially with tourist traffic or bad weather.
Dr. Tim Goltz, a longtime Miles family physician, has spoken out about the risks associated with traveling further to deliver a baby. He believes that the literature is clear: the further you have to travel, the higher the risk of serious complications and death.
On July 31, outgoing Governor Janet Mills wrote to the MaineHealth Board of Trustees, urging them to delay any decision for two years and to consider other alternatives. The state’s decline in birthing facilities is becoming an issue in the race to select a new governor.
The Miles Delivers Action Coalition has been making waves, with over 10,000 supporters and a strong social media presence. They have been pushing hard for solutions, calling out MaineHealth’s CEO for not doing enough to find alternatives.
As the August 6 decision date approaches, the community remains vigilant, knowing that the fate of the labor and delivery department at Miles Hospital hangs in the balance.
In a state where 11 birthing units have already closed, and another is under threat, the fight to save Miles Hospital’s labor and delivery center is a critical battle for the future of rural healthcare.
