Albany Med, employees, community spar over proposed critical access hospital designation for Columbia Memorial Health

On Jan. 22, Albany Med Health System wrote of a “forward-thinking vision” that it said will strengthen the community impact of one of its hospitals, Columbia Memorial Health (CMH) in Hudson, N.Y., ensuring the care it provides “remains modern, accessible, and responsive to local needs well into the future.”

It proposed a model of care that “would be new to the region,” specifically for Columbia and Greene counties, including a $25-million expansion of its Greene Medical Arts facility in Catskill, N.Y., to offer same-day surgeries. Albany Med says 84 percent of CMH’s surgeries are outpatient, so it is building new ORs at Greene Medical Arts for orthopedic, heart, women’s care, and other specialties, as well as a cardiac care center.

But there was another aspect of the model that local ABC affiliate WTEN-TV reports is “sparking outcry from employees”: formal recognition of CMH as a critical access hospital.

“The designation of CMH as a critical access hospital would underscore its irreplaceable role as a gateway for patients and the care they need most,” stated Albany Med. “As a critical access hospital, CMH would receive reimbursement closer to the actual cost of care, rising from 50 to 70 percent today to approximately 101 percent of the cost for delivering that care. This stability would allow for reinvestment in patient services, facilities, and the community CMH serves.”

Albany Med said the requisite state and federal approval process could take up to two years, and that it has hosted a “series of town halls and community conversations to share this vision and provide a transparent assessment of the hospital’s current position” since October.

“Rural hospitals across the country face mounting challenges,” Albany Med stated. “CMH’s goal is to remain strong, trusted, and responsive, continuing to serve as a pillar of care today while preparing for the needs of tomorrow.”

WTEN reports, however, that “for many healthcare workers and community members, this potential change brings many questions,” including concerns about layoffs.

This week, some CMH employees and community members gathered for a town hall to voice concerns about the designation change. Those concerns include what they say are a significant reduction in the number of beds from 150 to 60, including 25 medical and surgical beds. While CMH stated this is due to a decline in hospital patients, WTEN reports that employees at the town hall disagreed, with one saying that many patients will need to travel longer distances for care.

Hudson Mayor Joseph Ferris expressed “a repeated concern about a lack of clarity” from Albany Med to WTEN.

Greg Speller, Executive Vice President for 1199 SEIU, which represents many of the hospital’s employees, told WTEN that “management is claiming there’s not going to be any layoffs, but when you reduce the hospital beds as dramatically as they’re proposing, we don’t see how that’s going to be possible.”

Albany Med is pushing back on that assumption. “The contributions of every colleague we have will be essential,” CMH CEO and President Dorothy Urschel stated to WTEN. “We are also recruiting for additional staff members right now.”