MCHS opens Labor and Delivery Wing
Kristen Jones
Farmer Staff Writer
December 6, 2022, will be an historic day for McKenzie County, as McKenzie County Healthcare Systems, Inc. (MCHS) will officially open the first Labor and Delivery department in the county’s history. The last time a baby was born at a healthcare facility in McKenzie County was in September of 1997. According to Cheryl Faulkner, Director of Nursing, MCHS has never had an official Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) or Labor and Delivery (L&D) department, even when those services were offered in the past.
“This is a really important development not just for MCHS, but for the community,” said Peter Edis, CEO of MCHS. “We know that it is important for people to have access to the care they need close to where they live and work. For those having babies in McKenzie County, that hasn’t been possible. People had to drive at least an hour and often more, to go to even standard appointments, and that means taking a half-day or more for every appointment. Things get even more stressful for patients as their due dates approach because they know they must drive at least an hour to be able to safely deliver their baby.”
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