News

Pardee closing midwifery practice

By Bill Moss, Published: March 19, 2015

The Pardee Center of Women's Health will discontinue midwifery services on March 31, the hospital said in a news release.

Pardee officials said the clinic closing was part of an ongoing transition to the hospital's OB/GYN practices.

"After careful consideration and consultation with our  physicians, Pardee decided to focus our services around the Pardee Center for Women’s Health physicians," spokesman Adam Fisher said in a statement. "Our OB/GYN physicians have already been covering many of the midwife patients when they deliver and provide backup call for any other provider who may need OB/GYN expertise for their patients at Pardee."
Martha Dysart, one of two nurse midwives in the Pardee practice at 512 Sixth Ave. West, said the employees had been told the change was part of a reduction in force.
"I'm not sure what I'll do," she said. "We're employable" because both are registered nurses as well as certified nurse midwives.
Judy Major, who chairs a nonprofit board seeking to establish a nurse midwife-staffed Birthing Center in Asheville, said she had heard of the closing in Hendersonville.
"I'm aware that it's happened and my only thought is I'm sorry for the women who would like to have midwives for their care," she said. "I suspect that they ultimately will cause more people to come our way once we open our doors but I don't know that for sure. I don't know a lot about it. I just know they're not going to have nurse midwives there anymore and that's unfortunate."

Pardee said: "Since 2013, the certified nurse-midwife team has worked alongside our obstetrics and gynecology team, providing exceptional care to our patients. We are grateful for the services that the midwifery program has provided to Pardee for over 15 years."

All current patients have been notified of the closing and urged to seek care with OB/GYN physicians in the Pardee network. Pardee encouraged the midwifery patients to seek care under OB/GYN physicians David Beaty and Maridee Spearman in Hendersonville and Shannon Huff at the Mission Pardee Health Campus in Fletcher. The phone number to reach the Pardee Center for Women's Health is Hendersonville is (828) 696-0897 and in Fletcher at (828) 684-6035.