UPPER MICHIGAN (WLUC) – Aspirus is providing clarity about its recent decisions regarding health care in the western U.P.
With the closure of the OB department in Ironwood, many have raised concerns regarding the quality of health care the western U.P., including the hospital’s nursing staff. But Aspirus said those decisions are based on changing trends in the region.
Aspirus’s Michigan Regional President, Natalie Seaber, said the decision to close the OBGYN department was made in part because of declining birth rates. She said numbers have been on the decline in the last five years, with just 83 deliveries at the Ironwood campus last year. Another challenge Aspirus cites is staffing.
“The struggle for recruitment is real. And it’s not a compensation issue, it’s there’s just not enough of them. And we don’t need one, we need three,” Seaber said.
But one nurse at the Ironwood facility said cutting necessary care shouldn’t be an option. In a statement to TV6, Nurse Sarah Trudgeon said:
“It doesn’t justify putting U.P. residents at risk by cutting essential services and disinvesting in our communities…. The hardest thing about being a U.P. Aspirus nurse is constantly being told to do more with less and wondering what they’ll cut next that will hurt our ability to take care of everyone in our community.”
Despite the closure, Seaber said the health system is still investing in ways of providing health care. Seaber said Aspirus has recently put in a new CT scanner in Ironwood and is focusing on other facets of health care.“We have renovations happening at Keweenaw and the Houghton Clinic showing a substantial investment, $31 million at Keweenaw, another $5 million at Houghton. Ironwood’s new CT scan, for example,” Seaber said.
Trudgeon assures that nurses remain dedicated to the community, saying:
“No matter what happens, nurses are here for the duration and we will continue to put patients first and speak out for what’s best for our communities.”
Both Trudgeon and Seaber agree the goal is to provide the best health care to U.P. residents.
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