A hospital buy-out is having an affect on health care in Columbia. Columbia Regional Hospital has announced it will close its maternity unit the first of November. The unit will move to University Hospital, which bought Columbia Regional earlier this year. Columbia Regional Hospital Director Jim Poehling says it’s the fiscally responsible move. He says the hospital is working with expectant mothers who have made plans to have their babies at Columbia Regional so they can get care elsewhere. The 19 people who work in the unit will be offered jobs at University Hospital.
