Citing staffing issues and political climate, North Idaho hospital will no longer deliver babies

[RandySF]

Idaho’s Bonner General Health, the only hospital in Sandpoint, announced Friday afternoon that it will no longer provide obstetrical services to the city of more than 9,000 people, meaning patients will have to drive 46 miles for labor and delivery care moving forward.

“We have made every effort to avoid eliminating these services,” said Ford Elsaesser, the hospital’s board president, in a news release. “We hoped to be the exception, but our challenges are impossible to overcome now.”

The hospital said it will continue to provide women’s health services at Sandpoint Women’s Health and collaborate with Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, which is about an hour from Sandpoint, to provide obstetrical care.




https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/citing-staffing-issues-and-political-climate-north-idaho-hospital-will-no-longer-deliver

[Zambero]

1. The Canadian border is only a few miles north of Sandpoint

Too bad the town can't pack up and move itself to an area that can provide the most basic medical services. Ironic that Sandpoint is the only town in Idaho that still has Amtrak service, but will no longer have a facility that assists with childbirth.

[roamer65]

2. I doubt they would be wanted in BC.

[Zambero]

3. There is a progressive presence in the panhandle

However, it's nowhere close to what it used to be, back when labor unions had influence in that part of the state. Idaho's blue dot epicenter has relocated south to Boise.

[yonder]

5. I thought when Richard Butler/Aryan Nations were cut down to size

that progressive presence would only grow. I thought wrong.

[RandySF]

8. Vancouver does not represent most of BC.

[Celerity]

11. 60 miles. That county voted for Trump over Biden by around 37 points. They get what they deserve.

https://www.livevoterturnout.com/Idaho/LiveResults/17/en/Index_113.html

[Bucky]

12. I'm sorry, that's a really dumb thing to say. A mean spirited thing to say

What guarantee do you have that the only people having babies there are maga voters? How is threatening the life & safety of newborns a just punishment for how their parents or neighbors voted?

Get your head and heart right, Celerity. When we fight for better health care for all, we're fighting for better health care for all.

[Celerity]

13. Sorry, but I do not buy into that reasoning. Election choices have consequences.

Northern Idaho is a hotbed for radical white nationalist christofascism. If they want to vote that way, then I have zero fucks to give when they reap what they sow.

[Bucky]

14. Yeah, fuck those newborns

I hope you're a hypocrite rather than a monster.

Favoring universal health care means favoring universal health care.

[Celerity]

15. I AM for universal healthcare. The only way we get that is to defeat enough Republicans.

People who vote Republican need to have some motivation to stop voting Republican.

They are now seeing the consequences of their votes.

Also how dare you call me either a monster or a hypocrite!

That is pure bullshit m8.

I am not here to be a bunch of rascist, homophobic, misogynist buybull bangers' rescuer. I feel the same way as a young black female. Sick of some people always looking for us blacks, (us black women in particular), to always be the bulwark for them against the majority of their fellow whites, because the majority of white people vote for Rethugs.

[edisdead]

17. Agree! Completely!

We want to give healthcare. And bring up the harsh reality when people vote against that and people call us monsters here. Meanwhile, the party that the state votes for time and again wants to put children to death, have 10 yr old rape victims give birth, and many other horrors.

Do we really need to take that kind of shit here? Unreal.

[Maru Kitteh]

21. Well I'm supposed to have surgery at the Sandpoint Women's Hospital in 4 weeks

Because of the cost of services in my area, I’m having surgery in Sandpoint. Not everyone who needs these services is racist, homophonic, Republican, religious or even white.

[Celerity]

22. Of course not, but in places like this in Idaho, they are. Nothing we say or do

is going to systemically change ruby Red rural places such as this. The controlling vast majority in such places ARE those racist, homophobic, misogynist, christofash etc types. They will never change until they feel the effects that come from their own actions, negative effects that they brought on themselves.

Unfortunately they may not even change then, but it's not my 'give a fuck' burden to bear. They reap what they sow. My give a fuck field is indeed barren.

Billions of people have migrated away from bad geographical situations throughout human history. Hell, that is how white America was built. Zero chance I personally would stay in a MAGAt shithole. Given our identities and orientation, I would be putting our (wifey and me) lives in danger.


Good luck with your surgery btw!

[Maru Kitteh]

25. Thank you for the kind wishes Celerity. Like a lot of things in life,

It's probably all going to go awesomely. Unless it doesn’t

[Hugh_Lebowski]

24. If I said that's basically my attitude ...

primarily because newborns directly represent climate destruction in my mind, which am I?

If I said 'there's already 8B of us, a large majority of which are entirely dependent on fossil fuels for their existence, ergo newborns enjoy no special affinity from me'?

Monster or hypocrite?

[edisdead]

16. No it isn't.

Sorry. It may be harsh but it is the truth. You get what yyou vote for and while individually there may be some people caught up in the fallout of that, it is the harsh truth that you get what you vote for as a state, country locality. I can feel sorry for the people that are caught up in it and even the people too damned dumb to know different but until the pain of their actions is felt things won’t change

[Autumn]

19. Ban abortion and their hospital will no longer deliver babies. They voted for it and they got it.

I can't seem to find any give a fucks.

[Dr. Shepper]

4. One of the doctors leaving

Was featured on a recent episode of This American Life

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/792/when-to-leave

[Piasladic]

26. thanks for the link

...though somehow it depressed me more. That doctor really wanted to stay and help, but now she is leaving.

[flying_wahini]

6. How tragic for the women who need help Now and can't wait 45 minutes to get there.

So dangerous.

[lindysalsagal]

7. Women's health doesn't matter. Only the imaginary doctrins of an imaginary god matters. Women? Let t

let them die in the car on the way. They just don't matter.

[BadgerMom]

9. That's really pro-life, folks.

Very impressed with your medical care and kindness.

[Hekate]

10. Gods help the women and girls of Idaho. May their lawmakers get everything they deserve.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

18. Psychotic, stupid christo-fascist worshipers of the MAGAT King

in red states are making life intolerable for many smart, kind, educated, compassionate Americans. Many of the best and brightest are leaving the fascist controlled states for bluer (and greener) pastures.

The shortage of competent healthcare and other professionals will soon become intolerable for the citizens of these red states. In response, fascist propagandists like Tucker Carlson will blame Democrats for the rapid, exponential decline of red states into full blown Idiocracies.

The deplorables will continue to vote against their own interests, as they wonder why their shitty lives keep getting worse and worse.

[treestar]

20. consequences of new strict abortion laws

maybe unintended.

[pinkstarburst]

23. I think it is heartbreaking for the women and babies

whose lives will be at greater risk now having to travel farther when in labor. I also completely understand why it would be very hard to attract doctors who wish to live and raise a family in that sort of community. Not exactly an appealing place to live...