Pregnant patients in Northeast Georgia may have to switch providers or travel an extra hour for care after a Lavonia hospital closes its labor and delivery unit

Next month, St. Mary's Healthcare System will begin consolidating OB/GYN services at its Athens hospital, which is a 59-minute drive from its Lavonia branch. The company says recent Congressional cuts to Medicaid funding "solidified the decision." The nearby Stephens County Hospital, which is operated by a different company, will still provide labor and delivery services.