As soon as the news came out that Trinity Health was proposing to close Burdett Birth Center (“BBC”) at Samaritan Hospital, the outpouring of opposition from community members, elected officials, financial donors, board members of various related St Peter’s organizations, and advocates was fast and furious and builds every day. Many in the community have quickly mobilized to ensure that the voices of community members are being heard and I want to thank all of the groups and individuals who initiated these efforts and who I continue to work with.

I recently coordinated two sign-on letters with a bipartisan group of state and local elected officials regarding our serious concerns with the proposed BBC closure.  The first letter was to NYS Department of Health Commissioner James McDonald, in that letter we requested a meeting with the Commissioner and relevant NYSDOH staff to discuss the process. The second letter was sent to the NYS Attorney General after the meeting was held with Commissioner McDonald and despite being told by the Commissioner and staff that closure was not a foregone conclusion and there is a regulatory process at work, we wanted to see more immediate action. We requested an inquiry by the NYS AG into the proposed closure citing a precedent of the Office of the Attorney General having examined hospital mergers in the past.

For members of the communities that are served by Burdett, especially pregnant women, it is very important that you consider planning to have your birth at Burdett Birth Center. Understandably, people generally seek to tour the hospital where they are going to give birth and make plans when choosing a particular hospital. The uncertainty due to the proposed closure might dissuade some from choosing BBC. However, that reluctance is the worst thing that can happen to BBC. The community needs to show that there is a continued demand for birthing services at BBC. I do not pretend this is an easy decision and of course, it is a personal one, but I am only conveying what I believe to be one of the main factors in preventing the closure of BBC. In their message on the proposed closure, Trinity is stating that “75% of Rensselaer County residents chose a hospital outside the county for their deliveries. Only 25% of total births took place in the county at Samaritan Hospital.” The justification based on a lack of use will be an argument they make for closure.

I recently received a message from a local woman who expressed her concerns with the proposed closure of BBC and she made an excellent point that studies have shown that women make 80% of the healthcare decisions for their families. If BBC were to close, this will not only impact birthing services in Rensselaer County but likely lead to a ripple effect that could lead to that entire family seeking services outside of Samaritan Hospital in general.  As she put it, “[o]ver time, other important healthcare services including medical and surgical services appropriately offered in community-based hospitals would suffer from this outmigration.” At that point, it is possible that Trinity could make the argument as to whether the only hospital in Troy should stay open.

I have been noting that as a practicing Catholic, I am very troubled with the fact that we are engaged in a battle with a Catholic-based institution to keep birthing services open in the Capital Region. When we consider a maternal mortality rate that is far too high, especially among Black and Brown women, this decision is just plain wrong. We cannot have women giving birth in emergency rooms and in ambulances on a regular basis, risking their health and lives and the health and lives of their babies.

The calls, emails, and letters are important and we must continue to get the word out that the community is opposed to this closure. We must keep up the momentum on showing our opposition to the closure plan. The advocacy has already led to tangible results since Trinity will now be voluntarily undertaking a community impact assessment that would not have been required based on the timing of the closure application.

I will continue to work in partnership to prevent the closure of BBC and we all must do our part to support the communities served by BBC and Samaritan Hospital, it is not hyperbole to say it is a matter of life and death.