Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone has now permanently closed its Family Maternity Center. The hospital put a hold on delivering babies back in October, pointing to staffing shortages and numbers that show a sharp decrease in births — down 46% from 2019 to 2021. For pregnant women in Malone, this now means the closest place to give birth is about one hour away in Plattsburgh, Saranac Lake or Potsdam.“I feel so sad and terrified that I will have to travel almost an hour being in labor,” Yuribel Dilone of Malone said. Dilone is 26 weeks pregnant and has been forced to create a new birthing plan. Her doctor helped her identify the best alternative location to deliver her baby. “They said whatever I want and I chose Plattsburgh. He said he will be there one day a week,” Dilone said.She hopes the day she goes into labor is the day her doctor is working at CVPH in Plattsburgh.Since October, Alice Hyde has been helping families transition to other hospitals.“We have put in place an OB nurse navigator in the OB-GYN office here that helps moms choose where they’d like to deliver. If they choose a location like CVPH, we have a variety of things in place so that moms get to know the providers there that will be delivering them,” said Dr. Lisa Mark, chief medical officer at Alice Hyde Medical Center.But Jennifer Hugaboom, who’s six weeks along, doesn’t know if she’ll make it to another hospital when she goes into labor.“Cause I had her within 45 minutes. I go quick,” Hugaboom said as she held her 6-month-old Jenna.Hugaboom has had five children at Alice Hyde, including Jenna right before births were paused. But this delivery may look different.“Well, I would like Vermont. Like I’ve been out there, dealt with them. They’re really good, they have a good thing. But it’s just the drive and I’m not gonna make it,” Hugaboom said. Alice Hyde will still be able to perform emergency births, but after giving birth, the mother and baby will be transferred to another hospital to carry out the rest of their care. The hospital also says they’re not planning on laying off any staff members in the maternity unit and have worked out plans for them to be transferred elsewhere.
Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone has now permanently closed its Family Maternity Center. The hospital put a hold on delivering babies back in October, pointing to staffing shortages and numbers that show a sharp decrease in births — down 46% from 2019 to 2021.
For pregnant women in Malone, this now means the closest place to give birth is about one hour away in Plattsburgh, Saranac Lake or Potsdam.
Advertisement
“I feel so sad and terrified that I will have to travel almost an hour being in labor,” Yuribel Dilone of Malone said.
Dilone is 26 weeks pregnant and has been forced to create a new birthing plan. Her doctor helped her identify the best alternative location to deliver her baby.
“They said whatever I want and I chose Plattsburgh. He said he will be there one day a week,” Dilone said.
She hopes the day she goes into labor is the day her doctor is working at CVPH in Plattsburgh.
Since October, Alice Hyde has been helping families transition to other hospitals.
“We have put in place an OB nurse navigator in the OB-GYN office here that helps moms choose where they’d like to deliver. If they choose a location like CVPH, we have a variety of things in place so that moms get to know the providers there that will be delivering them,” said Dr. Lisa Mark, chief medical officer at Alice Hyde Medical Center.
But Jennifer Hugaboom, who’s six weeks along, doesn’t know if she’ll make it to another hospital when she goes into labor.
“Cause I had her within 45 minutes. I go quick,” Hugaboom said as she held her 6-month-old Jenna.
Hugaboom has had five children at Alice Hyde, including Jenna right before births were paused. But this delivery may look different.
“Well, I would like Vermont. Like I’ve been out there, dealt with them. They’re really good, they have a good thing. But it’s just the drive and I’m not gonna make it,” Hugaboom said.
Alice Hyde will still be able to perform emergency births, but after giving birth, the mother and baby will be transferred to another hospital to carry out the rest of their care.
The hospital also says they’re not planning on laying off any staff members in the maternity unit and have worked out plans for them to be transferred elsewhere.
