Abortion Facility Fails to Secure Sufficient Emergency Back-up Care
Ohio Department of Health Director Rick Hodges
COLUMBUS, Ohio–Today, the Associated Press reported that the Ohio Department of Health has revoked the license of a Dayton-area abortion facility, Women’s Medical Center, for failure to meet the department’s health and safety standards. The decision follows a recommendation made by a hearing examiner in early September.
“Ohio Right to Life thanks Director Rick Hodges for holding this abortion facility accountable to basic health and safety standards,” said Devin Scribner, executive director of Ohio Right to Life. “This is the same facility that, according to the Ohio Department of Health, violated a woman’s right to refuse an abortion last June. We’re grateful to see action being taken on this facility and are hopeful that it will spare thousands of lives in Dayton.”
Ohio law requires that all ambulatory surgical facilities, including abortion facilities, secure a written transfer agreement with a local hospital. If unable to obtain an agreement, the facility may seek a variance from the law. In October, the Department of Health denied the facility a variance for the fifth year in a row.
“For years, this abortion facility has operated without sufficient emergency back-up care for the thousands of pregnant women who come through their doors,” said Scribner. “The whole state of Ohio should be alarmed by this facility’s consecutive failures to either secure an agreement with a local hospital, or meet the department’s rules for alternative back-up care. The traditional medical community has rejected doing business with this facility, and the state of Ohio is doing the same.”
Women’s Med Center of Dayton is operated by abortionist Martin Haskell who is known for popularizing the now-banned partial-birth abortion technique.
Editor’s note. Women’s Medical Center of Dayton has 15 days to appeal the order, signed Wednesday.