What is happening to Sharon Hospital?

On September 29, 2021, Nuvance Health unveiled its transformation plan for Sharon Hospital, outlining changes to hospital services. Among these changes are plans to close Labor and Delivery in the next 8-12 months and make drastic cuts to the Surgery Department by closing the operating rooms on weekends and after 3pm on weekdays, so that emergency surgeries will need to be transferred to another hospital. They are also making cuts to the Intensive Care Unit.

Why is Nuvance making these changes?

Nuvance reports that Sharon Hospital is losing money, and that closing Labor and Delivery is one way to recoup these losses. Nuvance has cited low annual birth numbers and high operational costs as the reasons behind the cuts to Maternity, yet Nuvance has not been transparent about these numbers. Data such as the exact number of births per year that would be required for operational costs to be covered, the number of births in 2020 and thus far in 2021, and the reduction in operating expenses and/or increases in revenue that would be needed to break even have not been shared with the public. In addition, if Labor and Delivery closes, the hospital will no longer be required to pay anesthesiologists to be on call for births after normal operating room hours, or to pay surgeons to assist with emergency c-sections. This also means that there will be no surgeons or anesthesiologists for emergency surgeries outside of normal operating hours.

How will the closure of Labor and Delivery impact other departments in the Hospital?

If Labor and Delivery closes, the hospital will no longer be required to keep anesthesiologists and surgeons on call for births after normal operating room hours. This means there will be no more evening or overnight emergency surgeries at Sharon Hospital, so patients requiring those services will need to be transferred to another hospital.

What will pregnant people do if Labor and Delivery is closed?

Pregnant people will be required to travel to another hospital to deliver their babies, such as Charlotte Hungerford in Torrington, Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, or Danbury Hospital.

If Labor and Delivery is closed, what happens if a pregnant person shows up to Sharon Hospital in active labor?

Nuvance states that the Sharon Hospital Emergency Room physicians are trained to deliver babies. As highly trained and talented as the Emergency Room physicians are, their experience delivering babies is unlikely to be matched by a certified obstetrician who has completed a five-year residency specifically in obstetrics and gynecology and who is trained in obstetrical emergencies. It is therefore very important that maternity care stays at Sharon Hospital.

What can I do to make my voice heard?

1) CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES: Call and email the CT Office of Health Strategy (OHS) and your state and local officials to voice your concern over Nuvance's plan.

2) SUBMIT A PERSONAL STATEMENT: Make your voice heard by submitting a personal statement about what Sharon Hospital means to you and why you oppose Nuvance's plan by clicking here.