Keep Birthing in Port Jervis close to home

PORT JERVIS SAYS NO,

Port Jervis says rescind this ill advised CON to close Maternity.

Bon Secours has requested of the NYS Department of Health that BSCH be permitted to close it's Port Jervis Maternity Unit, effectively eliminating all facets of obstetric and gynecologic care; not just deliveries. This risk, the real risk in this story, will be felt across the socioeconomic strata, with the most serious impact visited upon the least among us. Is this "doing justice in radical solidarity with the poor". I think not. Shame on this Hospital. for its apostate behavior.

All of this was done w/o an opportunity for the public to make timely comment. This callous action will unquestionably create a measurable hardship with unnecessary risk to the Tri-State community and in particular the "least among us". 1/3 of the young woman in our community do not receive prenatal or inadequate prenatal care, contrast this with 6% for the rest of the county. The number of premature births presenting is also significant. This is a direct result of inadequate prenatal care. Why did this hospital not address these alarming statistics. Why did they chose to avoid their responsibility to provide proper prenatal hearth care in this community.

Furthermore, the rationale (spin) being offered is not based on truth. Even a cursory examination of what has transpired at Bon Secours, due to the Administrations calculated actions in the last 3 years, points to an Administration hell bent on jettisoning Maternity.

It must be pointed out that this ill advised plan will not only affect pregnant moms but all woman as OB/GYN doctors care for all woman. And there are some gynecological issues that are life threatening such as a ruptured ovarian cyst. Should woman with internal bleeding be forced to drive from 25 to 60 minutes to find medical care in an emergency. This malice attitude is offensive as well as immoral.

If you believe obstetric, gynecologic care should remain in Port Jervis then please sign our online petition, as well as contacting the State Department of Health and other decision makers. Let them know that you demand obstetric & gynecologic services to remain in Port Jervis.

The hospital can not develop a viable plan, they know it, we know it and we believe the DOH knows it.

They can not allow an ER to become a maternity unit for level 2 presentations (premature labor). You can not stabilize a woman in labor for transportation. And if the fetus is under stress immediate surgical intervention is required; C-Section. If a trained OB DR and a trained OB RN are not considered safe to deliver babies how in Gods name can an ER DR and ER RN with a 90 day class going to be safe. This is a recipe for disaster.