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Connecticut healthcare employees react to denial to close Windham Hospital's maternity ward

Office of Health Strategy determined their ruling on Tuesday after hearing testimonies from community members and Hartford Healthcare staff.

WINDHAM, Conn. — The Office of Health Strategy has denied Hartford Healthcare's request to close the maternity ward at Windham Hospital.

The decision is being met with relief and criticism from union members and Hartford Healthcare officials. 

OHS cited a variety of risks if the maternity ward were to permanently close such as limiting patient choice and increased costs. 

Lynne Ide gave birth to three children at Windham Hospital. She was one of the many advocates hoping for a permanent re-opening of the unit. 

RELATED: State office denies plan to permanently close maternity ward

"How many women don’t have transportation and other availability to go long distances to have their babies. Just last week, another baby was delivered in an ambulance driving from Windham Hospital to Norwich," said Lynee Ide of the Universal Healthcare Foundation of Connecticut. 

The next closest hospitals would be Backus Hospital in Norwich or Manchester Memorial Hospital and both are at least a half-hour or 45 minutes away from Windham. It would require families to drive along route 6 which is a long stretch of road that is poorly lit at night with no shoulder to pull over. 

Attorney General William Tong called that dangerous, especially for a woman in labor. 

"It’s not safe to require moms, families, patients to travel a half-hour or longer to Norwich or Manchester or Hartford from Windham," said Attorney General Tong. 

RELATED: Windham Hospital union workers demand pay raises, elimination of mandatory overtime

"They would either have to travel on this road which is route 6, nicknamed suicide six because of all the accidents. It’s two lanes, one in each direction. This right here has a little bit of a shoulder but many places doesn’t have a shoulder, it’s windy," said John Brady of AFT Connecticut. 

Hartford Healthcare, on the other hand, expressed its disappointment and pointed to declining births at Windham Hospital. 

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They issued a statement to FOX61 which stated: 

"We are deeply disappointed with the Office of Health Strategy’s proposed finding, and especially its failure to take into account the quality and safety issues which were raised under oath by several regional and national clinician experts. We are reviewing our legal options, which include the possibility of appealing.

 As our Certificate of Need application explained, and as experts testified, after years of declining births (an average of two per week) and obstetrical recruitment challenges, it has become impossible to provide a safe, quality childbirth experience at Windham Hospital due to departures of obstetricians and trained staff.

 We have a plan for childbirth in the Windham area that provides high-quality, coordinated care for mothers and their babies at a hospital of the mother’s choice, including transportation. We have enhanced  pre- and post-partum care at Windham Hospital and in the region. We remain committed to ensuring that the community has access to the highest-quality care."

RELATED: Windham Hospital waiting on state approval to close its maternity ward

Hartford Healthcare officials and doctors held a hearing last year to discuss the matter. 

"Between July of 2018 and June of 2020, there were two periods of time where the OB unit went longer than 14 days without a maternity admission," said Dr. John Rodis, chief medical officer of Beebe Healthcare.

Hartford Healthcare has 21 days to appeal and request an oral argument if they wish. The final decision-maker, OHS's Deputy Director Kimberly Martone will have 90 days to render a final decision.

Carmen Chau is an anchor and reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at cchau@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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