Effective August 18, 2024, Skagit Regional Health will centralize obstetrics services, including labor and delivery, at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon. Obstetrics services will no longer be available at Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington.

“This difficult decision follows extensive deliberation between leaders and medical staff on what is best for our patients and the communities we serve,” said Chief Executive Officer Brian Ivie. “Cascade Valley Hospital is an essential and busy hospital serving north Snohomish County. While demand for inpatient, surgical and other services are quickly growing, the number of newborn deliveries at the facility has continued to drop in recent years.”

Ivie noted that key factors in making the data-driven and patient-focused decision include the ongoing trend of lower birth volumes, this year down to an average of 13 per month at Cascade Valley Hospital (compared to 80 per month at Skagit Valley Hospital); a lack of on-site providers, including pediatrics and anesthesiology to support this highly specialized service; and difficulty in recruiting staff and providers.

“This is a unique situation specific to labor and delivery,” Ivie said. “Skagit Regional Health has an ongoing commitment to provide a wide array of healthcare services to the people of Arlington, Granite Falls, Darrington and beyond.”

Centralization of Skagit Regional Health’s labor and delivery services is in the best interest of our patients as Skagit Valley Hospital is staffed and equipped to provide a higher level of care, Ivie said.

Skagit Valley Hospital offers 24/7 on-site coverage with OB hospitalists, pediatric hospitalists and anesthesiologists; highly trained nursing staff; a 21-bed labor and delivery unit with private patient rooms; two dedicated operating rooms on the unit for C-sections; and a Level 2 nursery where staff is trained to care for babies delivered at 33 weeks.

Skagit Regional Health will continue to provide women’s health services in north Snohomish County and will maintain pre-natal and post-partum care; gynecological services, including surgery; and comprehensive preventive care in Arlington and surrounding communities.

On-site multi-disciplinary specialist teams are playing an increasingly important role in labor and deliveries as patients are presenting with high-risk conditions, such as high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, diabetes, obesity and babies born with a high birth weight. These conditions require more extensive specialized services, according to Dr. Arianne Jong, OB/GYN at SRC Women’s Health in Arlington.

“From my perspective as an OB/GYN physician, I want to reassure patients that centralizing labor and delivery at Skagit Valley Hospital is a positive move for patients, newborns and families,” said Dr. Jong.

“Skagit Valley Hospital provides a high level of care with on-site specialists 24/7, a Level 2 nursery, private patient rooms, hydrotherapy, skilled nursing staff and 24/7 OB anesthesia services to provide comprehensive, high-quality obstetrical and pediatric care. We will continue to fully support clinic-based prenatal care in Arlington, including ultrasound, lactation services and testing during pregnancy.” 

The six licensed birth center beds at Cascade Valley Hospital will be converted for use as medical/surgical beds for inpatients and operating room time, previously set aside for C-sections, will be transitioned to improve access for orthopedic, general, podiatric and gynecologic surgery.

“The Cascade Valley Hospital Emergency Department has been experiencing record volumes and more inpatient beds will serve to help alleviate wait times, heighten safety, optimize care delivery and increase patient satisfaction,” Ivie said. “Surgical demand is also growing and we are working with our talented group of providers to improve access to care.”

The Cascade Valley Hospital Emergency Department staff are trained to follow best practices to care for pregnant patients who present at the ED, treating and stabilizing patients for transfer to another facility. Patients have the choice to transfer to Skagit Valley Hospital, or another facility.

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About Skagit Regional Health:Skagit Regional Health includes Skagit Valley Hospital, Cascade Valley Hospital and a network of more than two dozen healthcare facilities providing primary and specialty outpatient care in Skagit, Island and north Snohomish counties. Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, licensed for 137 beds, features a full range of services including comprehensive cancer care, surgical services, a Level III Emergency Department, a well-appointed Family Birth Center, comprehensive diagnostics and advanced heart and vascular care. Cascade Valley Hospital includes the 48-bed acute care facility in Arlington providing acute, critical care, general surgery, a level IV Emergency Department and a wide array of outpatient and diagnostic imaging services. For more information, visit www.SkagitRegionalHealth.org.