St. Catherine of Siena Hospital has received the attention of our communities often this year between the threat of a nurse’s strike, an ongoing call for a ratified contract, and now, for plans of closing the hospital’s Labor and Delivery unit.
The president of the hospital, Declan Doyle, informed its employees of the change in a letter on December 21, only six weeks prior to the proposed closing date of February 1.
According to Doyle, the unit will be closing because the physicians in Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital are changing employers.
“As part of their new contract, they will no longer be able to provide maternity care at St. Catherine. Their decision was purely contractual and not prompted by any discontent with St. Catherine’s staff or services,” said Doyle in his letter. After being advised of these contractual changes, St. Catherine’s announced that they are planning to submit a proposed closure plan to the New York Department of Health (DOH) with a proposed closure date of February 1. This is in no way an official closing date since the closure plan has not been submitted nor approved by the state as of press time, however the physicians are scheduled to leave the hospital on January 31.
“We will work closely with staff members within the maternity unit to identify possible opportunities for placement elsewhere within St. Catherine as well as Catholic Health, subject to our collective bargaining agreements,” said Doyle in his letter.
The careful words of this offering suggests that the maternity unit staff are not guaranteed another placement will be “identified” for everyone. This closure will impact over sixty nurses and unit staff members. While the current nursing shortage is still ongoing, and likely to grow in the future, there is also a high number of nurses who are actively looking for better opportunities, widening the net for employers, but increasing competition for those let go from their employment unexpectedly.
Nursejournal.org, a well-known database providing resources and guides for nurses, provided a guideline on how LinkedIn could be a job haven for nursing work. “LinkedIn reported more than 140,000 job posts for registered nurses (RN) as of December. On top of that more than half a million LinkedIn nurses have used the site’s ‘Open to Work’ designation,” reported Genevieve Carlton, PH.D. in her article New Linkedin Features Help Nurses Get Hired.
This closing does come as a shock to many, including the unit’s own staff because the process of closing an entire hospital unit, especially one as large as Labor and Delivery, is a long and complicated one. In recent years, St. Catherine of Siena’s Maternity Unit’s nursing staff has elevated the hospital to “Baby-Friendly” status and raised its Press Ganey score nationally, creating community confusion on why the hospital is closing the unit’s doors so soon.
“My experience has always been great. I had a baby in September and that’s when my experience went from great to outstanding,” says Laura Kot of St. James, a patient of St. Catherine’s who recently birthed her first child last September in the St. Catherine’s Maternity Unit. “I cannot say enough great things.”
“My heart hurts for expecting mothers,” adds Kot. “I cannot imagine how I would feel if I was still pregnant and scrambling to find a new doctor. I had my annual at the office mid-December where I was promised someone would call me and let me know where my doctors were going and what my options were going to be being that I am a very well-known patient in the practice from years of loyalty. However, no one called me. It saddens me.” Kot found out about the possible closure from a friend who became aware via Facebook. “I am planning another child in a year, and I’m so upset I need to find new doctors and a new hospital. I was really looking forward to having another wonderful experience at St. Cats.”
“There are about fifty open positions at St. Catherine’s that nurses will be given the option to transfer into, most outside of their specialty and expertise,” Anna Sterling, Press Secretary of New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), told The Messenger the union is at a standstill without an official submission of a layoff notice. “The hospital failed to notify proper authorities of a layoff and failed to submit a layoff notice to the nurses. Without official notice, all nurses will remain employed until such time that a notification is sent. We hope that they reconsider this terrible decision that will impact thousands of families in the area and their future healthcare.”
A former nurse of St. Catherine’s of Siena hospital spoke to The Messenger but wished to remain anonymous. She voiced worry for the safety of the Smithtown community, as well as the limited opportunities for the St. Catherine nurses within their specialty and expertise. In search for alternative work after the potential closing, some staff members have gone to interview with surrounding hospitals, including those in the Catholic Health Services network, who were not given notice.
“Mercy Hospital had no idea St. Catherine’s [Labor and Delivery unit] is closing,” said the source. “That’s insane because NYSNA told those nurses that they were going to request a freeze throughout CHS for all obstetric, L&D positions until these nurses are placed. So clearly no freeze has been put into place.” The Messenger’s source also mentions that the NYSNA representative at St. Catherine’s has advised many members of the staff not to apply to other positions yet. Mercy Hospital recently recruited a large OB practice since they were unaware of the influx of nurses soon to be searching for new positions.
The Messenger reached out for comment to MaryJane Finnegan, Chief Nursing Officer at St. Catherine, and Daniel Calise, NYSNA representative for St. Catherine’s nurses regarding their plan for placing these nurses in new positions and received no response. A NYSNA spokesperson did tell The Messenger that they are focused on saving the essential healthcare services that St. Catherine of Siena’s maternity unit provides for the community and saving the jobs of the dedicated nurses. NYSNA makes their stance clear that they do not support this idea of a closure and believes the hospital should reverse course and preserve these services.
According to the New York Department of Health (NY DOH) DHDTC DAL# 23-06 Facility Closure Plan Guidelines, “No medical facility shall discontinue operation or surrender its operating certificate unless 90 days’ notice of its intention to do so is given to the commissioner [James McDonald] and his written approval obtained.”
A Catholic Health Spokesperson said such a proposed closure plan has not been submitted to the NY DOH yet. Therefore, no permanent changes are approved to be completed. In addition to the 90-day notice, and according to the NY DOH, prior to the submission of a closure plan, “the provider must notify their federal, state and local-level elected officials…and the community about the proposed closure. They must also hold a public meeting, where the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Operating Officer attends and answers questions, that allows for advance notice to stakeholders and allows for public comments regarding the closure.”
The Messenger has been informed that there will be a public meeting on January 18th, 2024 at the Smithtown Fire Department on Elm Avenue. The meeting will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. where the public can go to ask any questions, express concerns or support of the closure to St. Catherine hospital executives. If anyone is unable to attend in-person, the meeting can also be view via Zoom.
State Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James) did receive notification of the closure plan from the hospital.
“In late December, my office was informed via email by the leadership of St. Catherine’s about the potential closure of their maternity wing,” said Mattera. “I want to make it absolutely clear that I oppose this decision due to the significant impact it will have on both the residents of our region and the dedicated staff and nurses who serve our community. My office is actively engaging with St. Catherine’s leadership and the New York State Department of Health to ensure that all appropriate procedures are followed. Our priority is to safeguard the health of future mothers and newborns in our region and to protect our healthcare professionals. These considerations are paramount in any forthcoming decisions.”
County Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) also provided comment on the matter.
“I am extremely saddened by this. As a community hospital, a small-town hospital, it was always a value to have the maternity wing,” says Kennedy who led a thirty-year career as a nurse before being elected to the County Legislature. Kennedy was made aware by St. Catherine of Siena Hospital and Catholic Health Services through several channels. “I do think everyone is a little shocked because losing something like that would be a tremendous loss. However, I know St. Catherine’s is a good hospital and will do right by their community and staff.”
Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) said he was not notified directly by the hospital, but says that it would be a “tragedy” if the labor and delivery unit closed.
County Clerk Vincent Puleo (R-Nesconset) told The Messenger his office received the same letter received by the nurses signed by Doyle.
Deputy clerks in the Smithtown clerk’s office said they were notified by telephone of the closure but received no official or physical documentation.
Within the last year, Sharon Hospital, a hospital in rural Connecticut, submitted a request for closure of their Labor and Delivery hospital, which was denied by the Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy due to the health risk it presented for the local women and children. The nearest maternity ward to Sharon Hospital was over twenty miles away, almost a forty-minute drive. While Long Island does not have that same distance issue, the island is presented with a congestion issue. The time a woman goes into labor will directly affect theirs and their baby’s safety as rush-hour traffic can make a twenty-minute drive into a forty-minute drive. In case of an emergency, such as an ectopic pregnancy, nuchal cords, or cord prolapse, women can still rush to the St. Catherine’s ER, but would not be treated by a obstetrician if the maternity ward closes. The hospital is equipped with qualified general surgeons who can provide care in these cases, but no specialists. Additionally, all women’s health would be impacted because the obstetricians also perform the gynecological procedures.
Throughout the interim period, hospital-based maternity care will be provided at Good Samaritan University Hospital and St. Charles Hospital, both around 14 miles from St. Catherine and known for their “exceptional maternity care in newly renovated, best-in-class facilities,” according to a Catholic Health spokesperson. Other surrounding hospitals with maternity wards not within Catholic Health’s system of hospitals include Stony Brook University Hospital, Long Island Community Hospital, and South Shore University Hospital.
*This story has been edited with the most recent details to date, 1/9/24 and will continue to be updated as more information is released.*
