Shore Medical and AtlantiCare ready to pick up patients in need of those services
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — Expectant mothers will have to leave Cape May County for maternity/obstetric care starting next week.
Cape Regional Medical Center has announced that effective Sept. 10, it no longer will provide the services due to a lack of doctors.
“One of two obstetricians on staff has resigned his private practice and is joining a larger practice that delivers exclusively at Shore Medical Center,” hospital spokeswoman Susan Staeger said.
According to a 2019 OB-GYN Workforce Study Physician Shortages Contribute to Women’s Health Crisis by Doximity, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) projected a shortage of as many as 8,800 obstetricians and gynecologists by 2020, and a shortfall of as many as 22,000 by 2050.
Cape Regional Health System is working closely with Shore Medical Center in Somers Point and AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center to develop a detailed plan for them to provide maternity services to county residents, according to Staeger. All obstetricians who are in practice in Cape May County currently provide perinatal and maternity care at either one of the medical centers.
Staeger said county emergency medical services are aware of the need to take women in labor or with pregnancy-related conditions to one of the other locations. The Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative is providing resources to assist with communication and education to the community and access to transportation to hospitals that can provide maternity care.
While the Emergency Department at Cape Regional remains available for life-threatening emergencies, for any pregnancy-related concerns that cannot be managed in their personal obstetrician’s office, patients should plan to go directly to AtlantiCare, Shore Medical Center or another hospital of their choosing.
Staeger said Cape Regional delivered 259 babies in 2021.
Brian Cahill, spokesman for Shore Medical Center, said the two hospitals “have been in conversations to make sure that moms and babies are well cared for and have a wonderful hospital in which to start or expand their family.”
“The priority for us is to provide the highest quality and safest health care experience for moms and babies,” Cahill said.
He said Shore has a program that ensures an OB/GYN doctor is in the hospital 24/7/365 in case of an emergency. The center also has an intermediate care nursery for babies 32 weeks and older to provide highly specialized care if required, as well as having a neonatologist on location 24/7/365 to provide that specialized care if needed.
“Families can take comfort in knowing that when their baby is delivered at Shore, that we have the expert physicians in-hospital at all times,” Cahill said.
He lauded the nursing staff in the maternity department, saying they treat patients like their own family members.
“That is what’s so special to us as a community hospital,” Cahill said, noting the director delivered both of her children at the hospital.
“We have several staff members, including those in maternity, who were patients themselves. They know firsthand what the experience was like,” Cahill said.
As far as physical offerings, Shore has labor, delivery and postpartum suites with individual lighting and climate controls, pull-out beds to accommodate support partners overnight and additional seating for visitors.
“There is a special newborn care area, a bathroom with a shower and the medical equipment in the room is tucked away for a nicer atmosphere,” Cahill said.
Shore underwent a successful capital campaign in which is raised money to purchase new fetal monitors, which provide moms freedom to move around the room rather than being restricted to the bed.
“Our suites are comfortable and welcoming for the mother but also designed to make support partners and visitors comfortable as well,” Cahill said.
He said anyone interested in meeting the staff and taking a tour can call (609) 653-3574 to schedule an appointment.
“Our team at Shore is certainly able to handle, treat and care for moms of Cape May County and we welcome them to take a tour of our facility and see for themselves,” he said.
“We are collaborating with our Cape Regional colleagues to ensure families have continued access to maternal newborn care and services,” said Blair Bergen, MD, chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology, AtlantiCare. “As a regional level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, we have long partnered with Cape Regional to care for babies born too early or with medical needs. Additionally, AtlantiCare’s OBGYN providers and staff already see patients at our Health Park in Cape May Court House..
“We also care for families at our Center for Childbirth at ARMC Mainland Campus in Pomona, and through our other Women’s and Children’s services. Our shared goal with Cape Regional is to ensure women have healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries, and healthy babies and families,” Bergen said.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
