Obstetrics Ward Shut Down At Only Full-Service Hospital In Southeast Washington

WASHINGTON, DC — The only full-service hospital east of the Anacostia River was ordered by the D.C. Department of Health to stop delivering babies and operating its nursery for the next 90 days, according to reports.

The Washington Post reports the health department is restricting United Medical Center's license to perform OB-GYN services so officials can work on improving these services. Health department officials declined to stay why the services were suspended.

The 90-day restriction could be lifted earlier if the hospital makes the required changes and passes a health department inspection, according to The Post. The health department did not return a phone call to Patch regarding how this closure will affect patients.

NBC Washington reports the hospital said the health department cited "deficiencies" in screening, clinical assessment and delivery protocols. The statement says the hospital cannot release additional information due to privacy considerations.

United Medical Center serves some of the poorest residents of Washington. Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray, who has pushed for a new Southeast Washington hospital for years, said the closure is a "health equity" issue.

Gray released a statement Tuesday saying: "I am incredibly concerned that residents on the East End of the District no longer have the option to have their babies delivered at an East End hospital. It is far past time to finally bring health equity to the East End of the City."

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Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Keeon Bassett told NBC Washington that residents who live near the hospital were not told about these changes.

"You have a lot of unfortunate people around here that really can't afford to go anywhere else, and it's really not fair," Bassett told NBC Washington.

The closest full-service hospitals to Southeast Washington are all over 20 minutes away by car. These include Providence Hospital in Northeast, Howard University Hospital in Northwest and Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, Md.

“The continued struggles of United Medical Center highlight the unacceptable chasm in health equity that is currently a way of life for residents on the east end of the District of Columbia," Gray said. "An over half-century old hospital simply cannot provide the quality and scope of health care services that residents enjoy in other areas of the city."

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