PVH Family Birthing Center Update

In early 2023 when Providence announced the impending closure of Petaluma Valley Hospital’s (PVH) Family Birthing Center, the Healthy Petaluma District (formerly known as Petaluma Health Care District) Board of Directors unanimously opposed this action and has been working to hold Providence accountable to its commitment to operate this unit through 2025. Healthy Petaluma also immediately formed an Ad Hoc Committee of Directors to work with Providence to bring this critical service back to PVH.

Providence recently announced that effective, May 1, 2023, the Family Birthing Center services were temporarily suspended at PVH, not permanently closed.

The Healthy Petaluma Ad Hoc Committee has been meeting with Providence, most recently on May 3, 2023.

At this meeting, Erik Wexler, Providence System COO, informed the committee that he will be actively involved in the process of trying to re-open the center. Wexler stated that Providence will continue to seek the necessary physician and staff coverage to restore this unit.

 Both Healthy Petaluma and Providence understand that there is a shortage of physicians and that hospitals across the county and country are struggling to find coverage. With that said, the Healthy Petaluma Board expects Providence to focus on reopening the Family Birthing Center and reintroducing women’s health services in a timely manner. Healthy Petaluma has requested that Providence develop and implement a plan and reporting system that will provide ongoing updates to our Board of Directors and the public on reopening the unit.

 Healthy Petaluma believes that a temporary suspension should be viewed as a temporary situation. Under applicable regulations, Providence has until May 1, 2024, to identify and secure the available coverage and other resources needed to reopen the Family Birthing Center and offer the women’s health services that were provided prior to the unit’s suspension.

For the most up-to-date information, the public is encouraged to attend Healthy Petaluma board meetings for updates. The next board meeting is on May 17, 2023, at 6 p.m. For more information on scheduled board meetings and to view agendas, visit healthypetaluma.org/meetings.