Labor and Delivery Improvements Help Cortez Sustain Local Care

According to Becker’s Hospital Review, more than 200 rural hospitals have closed their maternity wards over the last decade. Cortez faced the same threat when Southwest Memorial Hospital announced last year that it would close its Family Birthing Center due to the high costs of providing labor and delivery services. Residents rallied and the hospital listened to the community, preserving local maternity care. But the community’s efforts did not change the hospital’s financial situation. Even with cuts, the hospital is still digging out of a hole, making replacing necessary equipment extremely difficult. The hospital’s CEO reached out to LOR with a solution: purchase new medical instruments so Cortez residents can continue to access high-quality maternal care. LOR’s funding will help the hospital acquire an updated infant warmer and newborn hearing screener, allowing Southwest Memorial Hospital to focus on creating a sustainable future for Cortez’s labor and delivery services.