Maternity services could close at Samaritan Hospital

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Maternity services at Samaritan Hospital could close within the next six months. St. Peter's Health Partners made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday.

It is working on a provision plan to close maternity services but preserve prenatal care in Troy. The move is pending approval from the New York State Department of Health.

If it is approved then the services will close within four to six months.

SPHP's statement can be read in-full below:

“The COVID pandemic has had a significant impact on health care, including financial and staffing effects that continue to be felt today. However, even before COVID, maternity services at Samaritan Hospital were operating at a substantial loss. And while St. Peter's Health Partners has made many efforts over the years to preserve those services in Troy, we are unfortunately no longer in a position to do so. 

At this time, a provisional plan has been created to consolidate ambulatory locations – closing maternity services at Samaritan Hospital – while preserving prenatal care in Troy. If the plan is approved, following review by the New York State Department of Health, the maternity unit at Samaritan Hospital would close in approximately four to six months. 

Patients will continue to have access to maternity and neonatal services at Samaritan Hospital until the closure. Looking to the future, patients will have access to nearby maternity and neonatal services including St. Peter’s Hospital, as well as Bellevue Women’s Center, Albany Medical Center, Berkshire Medical Center and Saratoga Hospital. And Samaritan emergency department providers are always at the ready to manage any laboring mothers who may present in the emergency department.

Impacted colleagues who work in labor and delivery and postpartum at Samaritan who are interested in remaining at SPHP are working with our Talent Acquisition team to identify other opportunities within our system of care. 

Samaritan Hospital has been caring for the Troy community for nearly 125 years. While this is a difficult decision, the reality is our hospitals are struggling to remain sustainable and viable. This is a necessary step to ensure and preserve health care in the Troy community well into the future.”

St. Peter’s Health Partners spokesperson