Three Rivers Hospital OB Program Closing April 1, 2020

BREWSTER, Wash. — Nov. 15, 2019 — In response to learning that Family Health Centers will move its obstetrics services to Mid-Valley Hospital effective April 1, 2020, Three Rivers Hospital will end its own obstetrics program.

“This is the end of an era for Three Rivers Hospital,” said Chief Executive Officer Scott Graham. “We have long prided ourselves on our top-notch OB program. We’re sad to see it come to an end, but we support Family Health Centers’ choice to centralize OB services in order to keep this invaluable service available in Okanogan County.”

Family Health Centers’ medical director, Dr. James Wallace, explained during the hospital Board of Commissioners meeting on Oct. 2 that the decision was made because Family Health Centers has struggled to recruit more physicians to Okanogan County.

Three Rivers Hospital administration spent the following month gathering data, running financial analyses, and having discussions with Family Health Centers leadership and providers regarding the future of obstetrics at Three Rivers.

Based on the analysis completed, it was determined that the financial resources it would take to recruit the necessary physicians would be too significant. With this information, the Board of Commissioners determined it wouldn’t be feasible to continue OB services without the Family Health Centers physicians.

Three Rivers Hospital records an average of 90 births per year.