Expecting parents scramble after Heartland Womens’ Healthcare leaves SIH

Just weeks away from the birth of her second child, 19-year-old Jaycee Davison was set to deliver her second baby the way she did her first – in Carbondale with Heartland Women’s Healthcare. She received a notification from Facebook that a friend had tagged her in a post saying Heartland Women’s Healthcare is no longer offering labor and delivery services in Carbondale, Illinois. Now, so close to her due date, she had to find a new plan.

On Jan. 21, Heartland Women’s Healthcare posted on their Facebook page that they would no longer be offering obstetrical and gynecological care at the SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale effective Jan. 31, just 10 days after their announcement.

For many in Carbondale, the announcement came as a surprise. But Dr. Michael Schifano, the director of Heartland Women’s Healthcare, said, “This is something that we knew was coming along for a period of time.”