Instead of closing in June as long planned, Burdett Birth Center in Troy is receiving funding in the New York State budget that will keep it open the next five years.
Last June, with blame falling on staffing and financial concerns, it was announced that Samaritan Hospital would shutter its Burdett Birth Center within six months, if approved by the New York State Department of Health. A grassroots effort ensued to keep the center open. State and local elected officials heard the community's call to action. State Attorney General Tish James held a public hearing on the plan in September and was able to delay the closing date until at least June 2024.
Monday afternoon, the President and CEO of St. Peter's Health Partners and St. Joseph's Health Dr. Steven Hanks delivered the news.
"Our board, the board of Samaritan Hospital on Friday, unanimously voted to rescind its decision to close the Burdett Birth Center. And the board further ordered our leadership to withdraw the closure plan that's been submitted to the Department of Health," said Hanks.
The decision came after 108th district state Assemblymember John McDonald announced $1 million dollars annually for the next five years will support maternity services in Rensselaer County and keep Burdett open. McDonald says work has just begun to put the facility on the path to a sustainable future.
"This grant will not only keep the doors open, but also allow Burdett to increase staff training and poverty, racial equity, implicit bias and trauma-informed care, while also partnering with community-based organizations and doula services to support increased pre- and postnatal care utilization. The grant also seeks to identify opportunities for enhancing and expanding midwife medical doctor cross-training in a hospital birth center environment and collect the necessary data. The goal is greater utilization here at Burdett, and also for greater staff retention," McDonald said.
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin is a Republican. "When both sides of the aisle are vehemently opposed to something and they're in unison, you know, you know, you're on the right track," said McDonald.
Ashley Saupp is one of the organizers of the Save Burdett Birth Center Coalition.
"It's both exciting. And it's the, you know, we have the mindset of it's not over now, there's more work to be done. This is a five year grant, you know, and we need to be on top of them and buy them. I mean, of course, St. Peter's Health Partners and keeping them accountable for the deliverables of the grant, and also ensuring that they are making good faith efforts to continue services beyond these five years," Saupp said.
Dr. Hanks says 500 maternity units that closed in the United States over the past 20 years. "Health care systems are under enormous strain. I think you all appreciate that we're doing, I and my team are doing our best to try to maintain high quality, safe services to as broad array of our community as we possibly can. But it's support from people like all of you, that will help us to sustain and help us to thrive. So please have babies and have them at Burdett Birth Center," implored Hanks.
