Carol Johnson | Southern Indiana Business Report
At a time when many hospitals have reduced or eliminated maternity services due to financial pressures, Daviess Community Hospital is investing in its maternal care services.
Last Friday, Daviess Community Hospital celebrated the ribbon cutting of its Women’s Health Center, a significant investment designed to enhance access to comprehensive obstetric and gynecologic care for women across southwestern Indiana.
Located on the second floor of DCH at 1314 E. Walnut St. in Washington, the Women’s Health Center brings together a full spectrum of services in one location, including gynecology, obstetrics and maternity care, a Level II nursery, ultrasound, mammography and DEXA. A news release states the center is designed to provide a seamless, coordinated experience for patients at every stage of life.
“This is an exciting and meaningful step forward for our hospital and the communities we serve,” said DCH CEO Justin D. Harris, MSHA, MBA, FACHE. “The Women’s Health Center reflects our commitment to ensuring that women and families in our region have access to high-quality, compassionate care.”
The expansion also supports the continued growth of DCH’s women’s health team, including the addition of board-certified OB-GYN providers Dr. Michael Ryskin and Dr. Sonya Williams. These additions further strengthen access to prenatal care, labor and delivery services, and ongoing gynecologic care for patients throughout the region.
The Women’s Health Center features modern, patient-centered spaces designed for comfort, privacy and efficiency. By bringing services together under one roof, DCH is improving coordination between providers and simplifying the patient experience.
The investment goes beyond improving outcomes for women. Bob Grewe, executive director of Daviess County Economic Development, said the entire Daviess County area will benefit from the expanded care.
“Investing in a women’s health center isn’t just good medicine — it’s good community stewardship,” Grewe said. “When women are healthy, families are stronger, and our entire community benefits. Employers looking to relocate or expand ask about quality of life. A full-service women’s health center tells them this community invests in its people. That’s a powerful recruiting tool for economic development.”
The investment comes at a critical time for rural healthcare as more and more hospitals are reducing or eliminating maternity services, creating maternal care deserts. Since 2020, more than 120 rural hospitals have closed or announced plans to close their labor and delivery units, including 13 in Indiana alone, noted the release. Greene County General Hospital discontinued labor and delivery services Jan. 31. Lawrence County has been without labor and delivery services since 2022 when Ascension St. Vincent Dunn Hospital closed.
“In many rural communities, access to maternity care is becoming more limited,” Harris said. “At Daviess Community Hospital, we are choosing a different path. We are investing in women’s health services because we believe our patients deserve access to high-quality care through every stage of life.”
Hospital leadership, providers, staff and community members gathered for the ribbon cutting to celebrate this milestone and recognize DCH’s continued investment in local healthcare. Among those in attendance were Gov. Mike Braun, Deaconess Health System CEO Shawn McCoy, and Indiana Hospital Association President Scott Tittle.
All services at the Women’s Health Center can be scheduled by calling 812-254-5985, providing patients with a single, convenient point of access for care. For more information about the Women’s Health Center, visit dchosp.org