CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — A group healthcare providers in the South Bay are joining forces to stop another maternity ward from closing.
Earlier this month, Scripps Health notified employees it will be closing the maternity ward at the Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista.
Now, several letters have been sent to the California Department of Public Health asking calling for an investigation into how closing the ward could impact the community.
"My concerns are just access to health care for women of the South Bay, especially women of of limited means," said Dr. Latisa Carson, an OB-GYN in Chula Vista.
RELATED: Scripps Health in Chula Vista closing maternity ward due to patient bed demand
Carson is among the group of healthcare providers intending on rallying on Tuesday before the Chula Vista City Council meeting.
"If we're unable to stop it from happening, at least we bring some transparency to the process. Maybe we'll be able to help push legislation forward so that it's not as easy to close the units in the future," said Dr. Carson.
Scripps Health could close the unit as early as mid-July.
Scripps Health spokesperson Steve Carpowich told ABC 10News:
Inpatient medical-surgical beds at Scripps Mercy Chula Vista are currently occupied at or beyond full licensed capacity, while on average only about half of the beds in the OB unit are in use. Repurposing the OB space to meet the increasing demands of patients coming in through the emergency room and for other inpatient needs will significantly decrease long wait times for these patients now and will make possible expansion of critically needed services such as cardiac care.
The Chula Vista maternity ward will consolidate with the ward at Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego in Hillcrest.
"A lot of the patients take the bus, public transportation, the trolley, some of them, their cars aren't very reliable so they can't go very far and a lot of them don't ever leave the community," said Dr. Carlson.
The rally will begin at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday at the Chula Vista Shopping Center. Then, advocates will walk to the city council meeting where some will voice their concerns during public comment.
