Putnam Hospital Suspends Labor And Delivery Services

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — Labor and delivery services are now suspended at Putnam Hospital.

CareMount, which was the sole physician provider of deliveries at Putnam Hospital, gave Nuvance Health 45 days notice that they would end their OB services March 1.

Nuvance Health intends to begin recruiting a new team of physicians immediately, officials said Tuesday.

No staff layoffs are planned. Other women’s health services will remain at Putnam Hospital. CareMount physicians will continue seeing patients out of their offices at the hospital and providing gynecological surgery.

“Putnam Hospital’s Labor & Delivery unit provides exceptional, compassionate care to every family we serve," Dr. Mark Hirko, President of Putnam Hospital, said in a statement. “We recognize the value of these services to residents of Putnam County, and we are dedicated to making this suspension as short-lived as possible, supporting all affected patients and staff throughout this transition."

Nuvance hosted a community forum on the issue last week. You can view it here.

Dr. Hirko and other members of Putnam Hospital and Nuvance Health’s leadership teams informed staff of the problem in February.

Nurses helped organize a "Save Putnam County’s Women and Children’s Services" town hall meeting Feb. 22, where community members expressed concern about traveling long distances, especially in inclement winter weather, during pregancy and labor. SEE: Online Forum On Suspension Of Baby Deliveries At Putnam Hospital

"Putnam Hospital’s birthing center has been the cornerstone of life for Putnam County. Having to watch this service to our neighbors be suspended is a tremendous loss for us as nurses and for this community that has relied on us to provide OB care," said participant Lina Fuschetto, RN. "As a nurse who worked at a larger institution before coming to the birthing center, I quickly came to realize how amazing the staff was and how our patients received such individualized and family-centered care. We treat our patients like they are our family members. And now our community will be forced to go to those larger institutions where they will no longer receive that specialized care that they receive here. We will do everything we can and keep spreading the word to save these services."

According to New York State's health database, the number of deliveries at the hospital declined between 2008, when 453 babies were delivered, and 2017, with 378 babies delivered. In the past two years, 745 babies were born at the hospital, according to the NYSNA.

Nuvance Health leaders said recruiting a full team of new physicians to resume deliveries at Putnam Hospital will take time, and as it goes on, they will engage staff members in plans to revitalize the unit for its reopening. They also said they would keep staff and community members apprised of relevant updates throughout the process.

"Investing in Putnam Hospital is a crucial part of Nuvance Health’s strategic plan,” said Kerry Eaton, Chief Operating Officer of Nuvance Health. “As we look to strengthen and grow services here in Putnam County, women’s healthcare — including Labor & Delivery — will be at the forefront of our plans."

Anyone with questions or concerns can email askputnamhospital@nuvancehealth.org.

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