Watsonville Community Hospital loses about $27,000 a day providing labor and delivery services, raising questions about whether it can sustain the unit without jeopardizing its finances. Closing it would force families to travel farther for care and shift pressure to other hospitals, write Gail Newel, David Ghilarducci and Dori Rose Inda, all of whom have held healthcare leadership roles in Santa Cruz County. The authors call on regional healthcare providers, insurers and public agencies to share the costs of preserving maternity care, arguing that Watsonville cannot wait for a statewide solution. The Pajaro Valley Health Care District board is slated to vote Wednesday afternoon on the fate of the services.
