KNOX —  Starke Memorial Hospital will discontinue its obstetrics services, effective June 13, CEO Mike Meadows has announced.
Patients will be accepted into the OB unit through June 10. The final closing date will be on June 13.
“It is with regret that I make this announcement. However, we have carefully reviewed the utilization and demand for these services and because of the marked decline over time in deliveries at our hospital, we have made the decision to close the department. Between now and June 13, we will work closely with our physicians who provide obstetric services to ensure a smooth transition for their patients,” Meadows said. 

Starke Memorial will continue to offer gynecological-women’s health services including mammography, and surgical procedures to meet women’s health care needs.
Meadows added, “Starke Memorial is focused on providing critically necessary services for our patients and our community. As part of our hospital strategic plan, we offer services which benefit our patient population. In 2007, Starke Memorial Hospital added the $1.5 million dollar MRI in Diagnostic Imaging. In June, we are opening the new medical office building which will house a number of physicians offering specialized services in health care. We remain committed to the ongoing growth of our hospital.”
In 2007, the OB unit was completely refurbished and includes three post-partum rooms and two labor-delivery rooms. The wing also includes a waiting room and several office spaces, along with the nursery. An open house was held in April of 2007.
Starke Memorial Hospital, a 47-bed acute care hospital, offers comprehensive surgical services; laboratory and state of the art diagnostic imaging along with a physician-staffed 24 hour emergency department; inpatient and outpatient physical rehabilitation; and Home Healthcare and Hospice services.