Small Hospital Medical Services in Ontario: Part 3: Obstetric services.

A survey sent to the Chiefs of Staff of all 88 hospitals in Ontario communities with fewer than 100 total acute care beds contained a detailed section on obstetric services. At most of these hospitals, cesarean sections were performed by general surgeons with anesthesia provided by general practitioners. Twenty-seven hospitals reported a shortage of local general practitioners who do obstetrics now, while 53 predicted a shortage in the next 5 years.