Community members will have an opportunity Friday to weigh in on Rochester Regional Health’s proposal to end inpatient labor and delivery services at Newark-Wayne Community Hospital as part of the state review process surrounding the controversial plan.
The public meeting is scheduled for Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES Conference Center on Vienna Street in Newark. A virtual attendance option will also be available.
The session is part of the New York State Department of Health’s formal review of Rochester Regional Health’s proposal to close inpatient labor and delivery, newborn nursery and postpartum services at the hospital’s Marshall Birthing Center.
Hospital officials announced earlier this month that the proposed closure is being driven by ongoing staffing shortages, declining birth rates and difficulties maintaining around-the-clock specialized obstetric coverage.
If approved by the state, deliveries would largely shift to Rochester General Hospital and other regional facilities later this year.
Rochester Regional Health said Friday’s meeting is procedural in nature and focused specifically on the proposed closure and its potential impact on maternal healthcare access in Wayne County and the surrounding region.
The proposal has sparked growing concern among local leaders and residents, particularly in rural communities where access to healthcare is already limited.
State Sen. Pam Helming recently urged Gov. Kathy Hochul and state health officials to closely scrutinize the plan, warning the loss of local birthing services could create serious access problems for expectant mothers across Wayne, Seneca and neighboring counties.
In a letter sent to the governor and state Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald, Helming argued the closure would increase travel times for women in labor, create additional barriers for low-income and high-risk patients, and place added pressure on other regional hospitals.
She also noted that Seneca County no longer has a hospital, while nearby facilities including Geneva General Hospital and Clifton Springs Hospital do not offer labor and delivery services.
“The loss of local birthing services would have a profound impact on expectant mothers and families throughout Wayne County,” Helming wrote.
Hospital officials have emphasized that Newark-Wayne Community Hospital itself would remain open if the proposal moves forward. Emergency care, inpatient services, prenatal care, outpatient postpartum care and gynecological services would continue locally, according to Rochester Regional Health.
The health system has also said emergency obstetric stabilization and transfer protocols would remain in place.
Residents unable to attend Friday’s hearing can still submit written comments to the New York State Department of Health through June 6 as part of the state review process.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.