Advocacy Corner: Delivering in Crisis – Why OB Care in Wyoming Needs Urgent Attention

By Rachel Bouzis, Director of Policy & Learning

Welcome to Advocacy Corner, a monthly series of nonpartisan advocacy posts by the Natrona Collective Health Trust, aimed at advancing our mission of improving the health of Natrona County residents. Each month, we explore key issues that impact community well-being, providing insights and information to empower residents. If you have a topic suggestion or question, please reach out to Rachel Bouzis, Director of Policy & Learning.

Like many moms in Casper and across Wyoming, I faced challenges accessing consistent OB-GYN care throughout my pregnancy. I had been seeing Dr. Brittany Meyers for my first pregnancy when her colleague and our community’s beloved OB, Dr. Sam Vigneri tragically died. I happened to have an appointment that same week, and when I walked in the door, I could sense the grief and the pressure. At the front desk, I overheard a scheduler consoling a panicked patient over the phone. I didn’t know who was on the other end, but I recognized her fear. That moment stayed with me—not just because it marked a turning point for my care, but because it revealed how fragile our maternal healthcare system really is.

Wyoming’s OB shortage has been well documented, and state legislators are exploring potential solutions. But in the face of this—and other provider shortages—it’s not as simple as “just hire more doctors.” This is a nationwide crisis, and rural areas like ours face an uphill battle when it comes to recruiting and retaining providers.

A few months after Dr. Vigneri’s death, Dr. Meyers identified a complication that shifted me into high-risk territory. I began seeing her frequently and was able to get to know her a little bit. Originally from Cody, she was committed to practicing in the state, but her husband, who was new to Wyoming, hadn’t found his footing here. She didn’t want to return to Cody, where she’d be the only OB and on call 24/7.

Ownership of the practice was in flux, and Dr. Meyers offered to refer me elsewhere. But given my complications and the trust we’d built, I chose to stay. Then, just six weeks before my due date, I got the call: the practice had been sold to Memorial Hospital of Converse County, and Dr. Meyers was leaving. My options were to deliver in Douglas with a new provider or scramble to find a doctor in Casper. This was early January. I was due in mid-February. I decided I would rather take my luck with scheduling rather than I-25.

OB shortages are just one part of the story. Delivering babies is expensive for hospitals with high fixed costs and low patient volume. In already strained financial conditions, OB services are some of the first to be cut. It’s critical to understand that disappearing OB care is a symptom of rural hospitals’ financial strain—not the cause.

With some luck, I got on Dr. Susan Sheridan’s packed schedule. She provided excellent care in the short time we had. Then, early in the morning on January 31, my water broke. A locum doctor—whose name I can’t remember and face I never saw—delivered my beautiful, healthy baby girl just minutes before Dr. Sheridan’s shift began.

Would I have preferred a provider who knew me? Absolutely. But more than that, I’m grateful I didn’t have a doctor who was burned out, stretched too thin, or unavailable altogether. Without that locum, provided through the Banner system, I might have had no one at all.

Today, four hospitals in Wyoming at immediate risk of closing. OB cuts signal deeper financial vulnerabilities. In Casper, we’re fortunate to have the state’s only Level II Trauma Center. Banner Wyoming Medical Center is a cornerstone of our community’s physical, mental and economic health. Being part of the Banner system insulates Natrona County from some of the most immediate threats facing rural hospitals, offering access to capital, staffing support (my locum doctor), and system-wide efficiencies.

But we are not immune.

We must advocate for sustainable solutions: fair Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates—especially in labor and delivery—expanded telehealth access for rural areas, and stronger primary care systems to reduce the burden on emergency rooms.

Because no one giving birth in Wyoming should have to wonder if anyone will be there to catch their baby.