ONLY ON 8: Montgomery doctor warns pregnant mothers, babies may suffer if Jackson Hospital closes
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) — As the possibility of Jackson Hospital closing continues to loom, doctors, nurses and patients say they are facing growing uncertainty about the future of health care services and their livelihoods.
Tynsley Morris, a nurse in Jackson Hospital’s obstetrics unit, said the prospect of leaving the hospital has been emotional.
“I have bawled thinking about having to change hospitals and having to change coworkers because they are such family,” Morris said.
Morris helps bring babies into the world as a labor and delivery nurse, but she also has a unique perspective because she is a patient herself.
“I’m currently 36 weeks pregnant, and I could not dream about delivering anywhere else. I don’t want to. These are my family. These are my friends. I trust them more than anything,” Morris said.
Dr. LaToya Clark, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Jackson Hospital, said the facility plays a critical role in providing maternity care in the region.
“On average, I would deliver somewhere between 20 to 30 babies a month. Jackson has 17 labor and delivery rooms, and you don’t have another hospital that could absorb that volume of patients, and that’s just me alone. I have three other providers that are my partners that deliver many babies as well,” Clark said.
Clark said Jackson Hospital offers services for pregnant women that are not available elsewhere in the area and could be lost if the hospital closes.
“We do have a midwife, and so she’s providing care for those mothers who want a more natural labor. We have a pool that they can labor in that’s not available at other resources. We have a Spanish-speaking breastfeeding course that women can take at Jackson that’s not offered at other areas, and I think the quality of care that we provide at Jackson, you can’t beat,” Clark said.
Clark said the urgency of the situation is weighing heavily on the minds of the hospital’s 1,869 employees and thousands of patients.
“When staff is asking, ‘Am I going to get paid next month?’ and you can’t say for sure yes or no, you know those issues of not only patient care but also our livelihoods and being able to take care of our families are on the line now. So you’ll see a lot of great doctors, a lot of great nurses and staff that are looking elsewhere for jobs now because we can’t get a resolution on this matter. And I think everybody agrees that Jackson Hospital is vital to this community,” Clark said.
Despite the uncertainty, Morris said hospital employees remain focused on caring for their patients.
“You don’t want to add on to worry at such a high-anxiety time. Either way, you just want to reassure your patients that I got you, I’m going to take great care of you, whether we’re open three years from now or three days from now, that you’re safe with us. Your baby is still safe with us,” Morris said.
Jackson Hospital entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2025. Hospital officials have said the facility is running out of money to continue operations.
The hospital’s board has said it will announce the hospital’s closure on June 25 unless Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama agrees to provide insurance reimbursements at a higher rate comparable to what it pays Baptist Medical Center South.
Hospital leaders have argued that increased reimbursement rates are necessary to keep the facility financially viable and continue serving patients in the Montgomery area.
In an Op-ed on June 8, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama disagreed saying, “Jackson Hospital is a valued part of the region’s healthcare system, and that is why we have continued to come to the table to negotiate and try to be part of a solution to its financial problems. The reality is that these financial problems are not ours to solve, given that BCBSAL is less than 20 percent of Jackson’s revenue and patient base. Yet, we have worked with Jackson Hospital over the years to increase reimbursement rates and even sought solutions outside normal processes because Jackson Hospital is a beneficial part of the community.”
On June 11, Jackson Hospital published numbers on their website saying BCBSAL patients account for 22.4% of the hospital’s patient charges and 29% of the hospital’s cash revenue.
A hearing in federal bankruptcy court is scheduled for next week. Jackson Hospital serves more than 71,000 patients and employs more than 1,800 people in the River Region.
