Our Commitment to High-Quality Emergency Care for Pregnant Patients
Serving the residents of Humboldt County is a privilege we don’t take for granted. That’s why we are deeply committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care, just as we have been for more than 100 years.
We want to take this opportunity to reassure our community, especially those who are pregnant, that we are committed to your health and safety. In the event of an emergency, you can count on us to deliver care in accordance with federal and state law, as well as our mission as a faith-based organization. This includes providing life-saving medical interventions that may indirectly result in a pregnancy termination.
As a Catholic health care organization, we are transparent that we do not perform elective abortions. However, in emergencies, our care teams provide medically necessary interventions to protect pregnant patients who are miscarrying or facing serious life-threatening conditions.
This is consistent with the California Emergency Services Law and the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. It is also consistent with the Catholic Ethical and Religious Directives, which include discussion of the importance of the physician-patient relationship as well as the circumstances in which certain medical procedures such as the termination of a pregnancy may be allowed in a Catholic hospital.
As part of this commitment, we recently enhanced our training, education and escalation protocols to further ensure the best possible care.
At Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka, one of our greatest joys is safely delivering over 700 babies into the world each year. We are proud to serve our community with a U.S. News & World Report-recognized childbirth center and a Level II newborn intensive care unit. We are also proud of our partnerships in the community, such as the Better Birthing program that aims to improve the labor and delivery experience for parents of Native American descent.
We take our responsibility as a vital safety net incredibly seriously and are committed to continuing to meet the needs of our community, just as the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange did when they established health care in the region more than a century ago.
Sincerely,
Michael Keleman CEO Providence Humboldt County
James Goldberg, M.D. Chief Medical Officer Providence Humboldt County
FAQS
Our Commitment to Safe, High-Quality Care
A Q&A regarding our commitment to high-quality emergency care for pregnant patients
Q. Does Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka provide emergency care to pregnant patients even if it results in a pregnancy termination?
A. Emergency care, including medical interventions that could result in fetal death, are allowed and provided in our facility. This is in accordance with both the Catholic Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs), as well as federal and state law. Safe, high-quality and compassionate care for all patients are our top priorities. Please see the fourth question below for more information about the ERDs.
Q. As a Catholic organization, does Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka provide abortions?
A. In emergency situations, our care teams provide medically necessary interventions to protect pregnant patients experiencing a miscarriage or facing serious life-threatening conditions.
This includes medically necessary interventions that may indirectly result in a pregnancy termination. However, Providence does not provide elective abortions
Q. What is Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka doing to ensure pregnant patients receive safe, high-quality care, including in emergency situations?
A. We have reviewed and enhanced our onboarding, education, training and escalation processes to ensure our teams have the rapid support they need when making complex clinical decisions and to further strengthen our commitment to patient safety and quality.
Q. What are the Catholic ethical religious directives?
A. Published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services guide, support and reinforce Catholic health care’s commitment to our communities, especially for those who are poor and vulnerable. The ERDs are a set of rules and principles based on Catholic teaching that Catholic hospitals must adopt and apply. The directives discuss the responsibility of Catholic-sponsored hospitals to provide compassionate care, paying particular attention to the dignity of the patient, the integrity of the physician-patient relationship as well as the circumstances in which certain medical procedures such as the termination of a pregnancy may be allowed in a Catholic hospital. You can find a copy of the directives here. We will also make it easier for our caregivers and physicians to access support for questions or concerns regarding ERDs and their interpretation.
Q. With Mad River Community Hospital closing its labor and delivery services, what does this mean for access to reproductive health care in Humboldt County?
A. Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka will continue to provide a wide range of award-winning health care services for women and patients in need of gynecologic and obstetrics care. Additionally, we continue to collaborate with the leadership at Mad River to understand what gynecologic services they will continue providing after the closure of their labor and delivery unit.
Q. Can we trust Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka to deliver safe care for women and pregnant patients and to be a good partner in the community?
A. Absolutely. Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka has been part of the Humboldt County community for more than 100 years. Our founding sisters were deeply committed to healing and service, especially for those who are most vulnerable. Thanks to the dedication of our caregivers and medical staff, we continue that legacy today with a deepened commitment to safe, high-quality health care for all. This is a responsibility we do not take for granted, and we pledge to continue earning your trust every day. It is a privilege to serve this community.
