GRHS to discontinue Birthplace at FM campus

FORT MADISON - Great River Health will be discontinuing its birthing services in Fort Madison at the end of the year. 
The health system is changing its maternal care model to focus  different maternal services throughout the system campuses and Fort Madison will see enhanced pre- and post-natal care services, while delivery services will be concentrated in the West Burlington campus.
According to a release Thursday, the GRHS will be investing in a hub-and-spoke model for maternal care.  This model of care is increasingly common in rural healthcare, ensuring that safe, quality care remains accessible while adapting to workforce pressures. The hub-and-spoke model is currently being used at Henry County Health Center and will be expanded to Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center (SEIRMC) in Fort Madison at the end of 2026. 
The hub-and-spoke model concentrates delivery resources in one centralized location, with pre- and post-natal care provided at the local level in outpatient clinics. With this change, women’s health services and pre- and post-natal outpatient care options will be enhanced at Women’s Health- Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center in Fort Madison and the Keokuk Clinic with the addition of more advanced practice professionals, particularly nurse midwives, ensuring women have access to the healthcare services they need, whether during pregnancy or for routine care. Labor and delivery services in the Women & Family Center at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center in West Burlington will be expanded, and the Birthplace at SEIRMC, Fort Madison, will no longer provide inpatient labor and delivery maternal care after December 31, 2026.
This change aligns with the retirement of Dr. Timothy Staudte. Dr. Staudte has been the sole obstetrician at the Women’s Health Clinic at SERIMC, Fort Madison, for the past couple  years.  He will be retiring after more than 21 years in Fort Madison at the end of 2026 to pursue mission work with his church. His dedication to women’s health in Lee County has been vital to the success of this service line.  
Dr. Staudte will continue to accept obstetric patients with anticipated delivery before December 31, 2026, and new gynecology patients throughout the year at Women’s Health-Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, Fort Madison.
Great River Health has been unsuccessful in its attempt to recruit an obstetrician/gynecologist for the health system. This challenge reflects a nationwide shortage of obstetrician/gynecologists and is especially true in Iowa, which ranks last in the number of obstetricians/gynecologists per capita in the United States.
Staff impacted by this change will be supported throughout the transition.
A community forum discussion about this change is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, Fort Madison, in the Administrative Conference Rooms.  The public is invited to attend.