“Great River Health Says Staff Affected by Fort Madison Birthplace Closure Will Receive Support”

After December 31, 2026, the Birthplace at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center (SEIRMC) in Fort Madison will no longer provide inpatient labor and delivery services.

Great River Health announced Thursday those services will instead be expanded at the Women & Family Center at SEIRMC in West Burlington.

The change coincides with the upcoming retirement of Dr. Timothy Staudte, the sole obstetrician at the Fort Madison Women’s Health Clinic.

Staudte, who has served the community for more than 21 years, plans to retire to pursue mission work with his church.

To maintain access to high-quality maternal care amid workforce challenges, Great River Health is implementing a hub-and-spoke model. This approach, already used at Henry County Health Center, will be expanded to SEIRMC in Fort Madison by the end of 2026.

Under the hub-and-spoke system, labor and delivery services are centralized at a primary location, while prenatal and postnatal care remains available locally through outpatient clinics. Women’s Health services at SEIRMC in Fort Madison and the Keokuk Clinic will be strengthened with additional providers, including nurse midwives, ensuring continued access to essential care.

Dr. Staudte will continue to see obstetric patients with expected deliveries before Dec. 31, as well as new gynecology patients throughout the year at the Fort Madison clinic.

Efforts to recruit a replacement OB/GYN have been unsuccessful, reflecting a nationwide shortage. Iowa currently ranks last in the country for OB/GYNs per capita, highlighting the challenges rural communities face in maintaining these services.

Great River Health says staff affected by the transition will receive support throughout the process. Great River Health did not provide specific details on what support for affected staff will include, such as relocation options, retraining, severance, or timelines. The health system has not yet released information outlining how many staff members will be impacted or what support measures will be offered during the transition. Community members are expected to raise questions about workforce impacts, access to care, and transition planning at the upcoming public forum.

A public forum is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13, at 3:30 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Rooms at SEIRMC, Fort Madison, to provide information and answer community questions. The public is invited to attend.