Hospital services changed

There will be no more babies born at IU Health Jay, except for emergencies, as of July 1.

And beginning July 10, surgery at the hospital will be provided by a rotating team from IU Health Ball and will be limited to outpatient procedures.

Inpatient and emergency surgery will be performed at IU Health Ball in Muncie.

IU Health Jay announced the changes this week in a press release, saying that in place of locally based obstetrical services the hospital will provide “an enhanced and robust pre-natal and post-natal care team model … that will focus on improving the health of pregnant women and newborns in Jay County.”

With the departure of Dr. Monzur Haque in July, surgical services will be provided by a group that includes Dr. Mark Saleem, Dr. Paul Stewart and Dr. David Cadogen from IU Health Ball. 

Two other surgeons are expected to be added to the rotating team by the end of 2020. 

Dr. Herman Burgermeister left his surgery practice at IU Health earlier this year, and with Dr. Haque’s departure IU Health Jay will no longer have a local surgeon on staff.

IU Health Jay said that by using a $400,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Health, the hospital pre-natal and post-natal team will be expanded to provide a program director, advanced provider and “nurse navigator.” The group will be working closely with the IU Health Ball Memorial Voss Center for Women.

IU Health Jay maternal newborn nurse navigators will guide each woman through her “pre-natal and post-natal care journey.” The current IU Health Jay obstetrics team will be involved in the transition to the new program.

“We’re excited about the additional resources and expertise that will be in our community for expecting and new mothers,” Julie Teeter, current manager of clinical operations at IU Health Jay’s mother and baby department, said in a prepared statement Thursday.

“I think this expansion and focus on pre-natal and post-natal care is very beneficial and important to our community, longtime local obstetrics provider Dr. Mark Haggenjos, said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to continuing a strong partnership with the providers at the Voss Center.”

The change in surgery is expected to result in an expansion of outpatient surgery. 

“By providing these (in-patient and emergency surgery) at IU Health Ball, patients will benefit from the quality outcomes, resources like the DaVinci robotic surgical system and additional available support,” the press release stated.