1123: Inside Maine’s Rural Birth Crisis

What happens when more than half of rural hospitals stop delivering babies? Senior Advisor for Public Health at MaineHealth, former state health official, and ASTHO Alumni Society Representative Dr. Dora Anne Mills, tells us about the rapidly escalating rural maternity crisis and why it’s more than just hospital closures.  Dr. Mills explains how Maine has lost nearly half of its maternity units, creating vast “maternity deserts” where pregnant patients face 45-minute or even multi-hour drives for care. Compounding the crisis is worsening maternal health driven by chronic disease, mental health challenges, and substance use, especially among rural and underserved populations.ASTHO Learning Opportunity: ACEs Strategic Communications TrainingThriving Under Pressure: Building Resilient Dialysis Systems and Teams