MASSENA — The Tender Touches Birthing Center, and after-hours surgery services at Massena Hospital will conclude as of midnight on Sunday, July 12.

Obstetrics and after-hours surgery numbers have been steadily declining over the past several years, according to St. Lawrence Health System Spokesperson Tracy Jarvis.

In Massena, more than 300 babies were delivered in 2010, 195 in 2018, 170 in 2019, and less than 120 deliveries are on schedule for this year; similarly, the Hospital is also experiencing less and less cases where after-hours surgery is needed.

Although after-hours surgery will close, the emergency room remains open and fully operational.

Obstetrical patients are being personally informed, and members of the clinical team are working closely with each patient to ensure a smooth transition of care to Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s Obstetrics Unit or another facility of their choosing, Jarvis said. Massena Hospital’s Women’s Health Clinic remains open and will continue to provide gynecological, pre-, and post-natal care to our community.

“Financially, Massena Hospital had been doing very well this year; as of mid-March, we were at a year-to-date breakeven; much better than originally anticipated,” said Massena Hospital CEO David Bender. “We were actually net positive with income over the first two months of the year when all success indicators were pointing us toward the red. Our inpatient care services, general surgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, and endoscopy have all been performing very strongly due to a higher than expected census; however, the COVID-19 Pandemic has strongly influenced the tough decision to close some low-volume services to avoid irreparable financial burden on the Hospital.”

“We respect and value our team of professionals and fully anticipate a place here or within the System for staff displaced from obstetrics and after-hours surgery services,” Mr. Bender said.

He further noted that community’s healthcare needs have changed over the past several years, and while the Hospital has experienced fewer obstetrical and emergency surgery patients, they are in the early planning stages of expanding upon existing services and introducing new services that will further sustain the healthcare needs of the Massena community for years to come.

To learn more about obstetrical care available through St. Lawrence Health System, visit www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org.

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