CHEBOYGAN -- Two area hospitals are seeing an increase in patients after Cheboygan Memorial shut down its obstetrics unit earlier than planned.

Cheboygan Memorial Hospital announced the budget cutting move earlier this year, with a scheduled closure date of March 31. Hospital officials say they did shut the unit down last week after its last scheduled birth took place.

The two closest hospitals, Northern Michigan Regional Hospital in Petoskey and Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord say they've seen an increase in patients.  Northern Michigan Regional Hospital officials say they have always seen patients from the Cheboygan area and say it's too early to track just how many extra patients they are seeing as a result of the closure.

Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord say they were prepared with extra staff to make sure the transition was a smooth one for its new patients.