[A]fter 105 years, babies will no longer be delivered at Springfield Hospital.
The board voted to close the childbirth center Tuesday night in the wake of financial challenges.
“It was a very difficult decision,” said Interim CEO Mike Halstead. “We’re in a financial situation where we have to find as many dollars and savings as we can.”
Halstead called the childbirth center a “financial strain” on the hospital in a press release. In an interview, he said the childbirth center loses about $600,000 a year as the number of deliveries has dropped by about 11 to 12 each year. Last year, 152 babies were delivered, down from 172 in 2016, Halstead said.
“When you have a childbirth unit you have to be ready to deliver a baby 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said. “There’s a lot of standby costs.”
The closure of the Springfield childbirth center leaves a hole in the area, with the nearest facilities about an hour drive, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and Rutland Regional Medical Center.
The news has caused uproar in the community.
“It’s devastating,” said Sean Whalen, whose wife delivered their three children at Springfield Hospital. “There’s no way this can really happen. It’s too important.”
Vanessa Heybyrne of Chester also delivered three kids at Springfield Hospital.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “The staff was amazing.”
Cary Stratford, a physician assistant in the emergency department, said the childbirth center supports physician practice. He was concerned about the impact the closure would have on women’s health care and the emergency department.
“In the long run, a well-run, viable childbirth center should enhance revenue,” he said.
Physician Barb Dalton has a pictures of every baby she’s delivered hanging on her office walls. She wrote a letter to the board before the vote, urging them to reconsider.
“I think it’s criminal that we are looking at closing most of our services and becoming basically a free-standing emergency room,” Dalton said in the letter. “I don’t foresee Springfield Hospital surviving under such a model.”
Springfield Hospital Chairman Jim Rumrill said the board’s conversations leading up to the decision were “painful” but necessary.
“The numbers were always there,” Rumrill said. “It is such an important service.”
Springfield’s childbirth center, like other rural hospitals, is empty about 40 percent of the time, CEO Halstead said. Two nurses are on call to deliver 48 hours a day, though they aren’t always needed.
Springfield Hospital lost about $14 million in two years. The facility was at the brink of closing in January before receiving an $800,000 loan from the state. Halstead said the board was reviewing every service line to save money.
The board terminated 27 positions in February and reduced salaries, saving about $3 million of a $6.5 million annual savings target.
Tom Huebner, who was appointed by Gov. Phil Scott to help the hospital through its financial struggles, also said the childbirth center’s elimination was necessary to make the hospital sustainable for the future.
“There are always concerns anytime you reduce a service that impacts access,” he said. “But, they couldn’t continue to do everything they are doing and have the whole survive. They had to make hard decisions.”
The birthing unit will close June 1, or as soon as all the expectant mothers in Springfield’s care have delivered or made other plans, Halstead said.
There are six to seven nurse positions in the birthing unit, according to Halstead. Those people may be offered other positions in different departments or transition to another facility.
“We’re trying to give them options,” he said.
Halstead was also looking to partner with Brattleboro Memorial Hospital or another hospital to fill some of the needs of the community left by the termination of the childbirth center. He said Brattleboro Memorial Hospital may provide prenatal care in Springfield. Patients would travel to Brattleboro to deliver their babies. Brattleboro is some 40 miles from Springfield.
“We want to help the community in any way we can,” said Brattleboro Memorial Marketing Director Gina Pattison.
Halstead said the board was still seeking ways to find additional savings. He didn’t anticipate more services would be cut but said the ways certain services are provided at Springfield Hospital may change.
“We’re looking at other places where we can revamp services to save money,” he said.
CORRECTION: Barb Dalton was misidentified as a nurse. She is a physician.
