The University of Vermont Health Network plans to close the Adirondack Blood Donor Center operated by its CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh. Members of the New York State Nurses Association rallied in front of the Plattsburgh hospital Tuesday evening calling for executives to reverse the decision.
In an effort to stem a significant budget shortfall, the hospital network announced on June 9 that 142 positions had been eliminated and “targeted clinical changes” would occur, including the closure of the Adirondack Blood Donor Center.
According to the health network, the donor center operated by its CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh, supplies 95 percent of the blood used by the hospital and also supplies blood and plasma to the network’s other New York hospitals in Malone, Elizabethtown and Ticonderoga.
Union members, who are still negotiating a labor contract, and community members gathered in front of the hospital to denounce the decision. Medical surgical nurse Shawn Baker says a petition to keep the center open indicates the community is outraged by the impending closure.
“We know the center is essential for patients in the North Country. We have already heard an outpouring of community support to keep the Adirondack Blood Center open. We are demanding that UVM stop bleeding New York dry. Since they have taken over CVPH and other community hospitals in New York they have reduced services here in the North Country. We are asking you to keep the Adirondack Blood Donor Center open. We are asking you to do the right thing and to prioritize the patients of Plattsburgh and the North Country over profits.”
Blood center nurse Nancy Roberts is concerned by the plan to shift blood services to the Red Cross.
“The two places that the Red Cross will come from are either Albany or Burlington and we’re not sure which would be providing the blood in the North Country. But either way it’s going to be a significant risk for our patients because of the amount of time it would take for us to receive any blood products if there is an emergency.”
Assemblyman Michael Cashman, a Democrat, says the decision to close the blood center has caused worry across the North Country.
“Rural communities already face significant barriers to accessing health care and the planned closure of our regional blood donor center is a significant loss. I strongly urge UVM Health Network to pause and reconsider this decision. Having a regional blood center here locally not only provides local blood, it gets people engaged to be a life-long giver of blood.”
The advocates say the closure could also mean the loss of nearly 9,000 donors.
Frank Dorrance regularly donates blood platelets at the center and says traveling out of town would be a barrier preventing donations.
“Especially on the platelet and red blood cell and plasma donations, it takes specialized equipment. It takes about an hour to an hour-and-a-half to do those donations. And if we had to do that over a four or five or six hour time frame, we’d be committing a day per donation. That’s going to eliminate a lot of people’s ability to go ahead and do these platelet red blood cell donations that we’re able to do today because we have that capability right here in Plattsburgh.”
CVPH Medical Center President Michelle LeBeau released a statement calling the rally “a testament to the importance of ensuring continued access to lifesaving blood services in our community.” She adds that they will work with the American Red Cross to “ensure a steady and readily available supply of blood and blood products for the region.”
The Adirondack Blood Donor Center is slated to close on July 10.
