CARTHAGE, New York (WWNY) – Community members, elected officials and a congressional candidate confronted North Star Health Alliance leadership Tuesday night over proposed cuts to health services in the Carthage area, including the closure of the sleep center at Carthage Hospital and the elimination of primary care and physical therapy at Philadelphia Health Center.
CEO acknowledges difficulty of cuts
North Star Health Alliance CEO Andrew Manzer addressed the crowd at the public hearing, acknowledging the weight of the announcement.
“Standing up in front of a group like this and talking about things we’re closing is not why healthcare administrators go to school to become healthcare administrators,” Manzer said.
Manzer said the cuts are tied to broader pressures facing rural health systems as North Star navigates bankruptcy.
“Unfortunately rural healthcare fits this bill right now. We are getting smaller. We’re getting poorer. We’re getting older,” he said.
Community members, officials speak out
Sam Burns, chairman of the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority, was among those who addressed North Star leadership directly.
“It is unrealistic to expect staff to maintain the high levels of care they have demonstrated for years while under constant stress about supporting their families. This situation is unacceptable,” Burns said.
Not all attendees opposed the cuts outright. Resident Rachel Vary said she supported the agency’s willingness to evaluate its services.
“I would like to applaud you for taking initiative and looking seriously at the services, and what is viable and what isn’t. I thank you for that because it’s going to help us save the important parts,” Vary said.
Assemblyman Scott Gray, who attended the hearing alongside Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, pushed back on the impact the cuts would have on patients.
“Those pressures cannot be fixed by making rural patients travel further,” Gray said.
Congressional candidate Blake Gendebein also spoke at the hearing, warning of the downstream effects of losing primary care access.
“When you lose your primary care, it’s not just an inconvenience. It’s the difference between catching something early with your doctor and ending up in the emergency room because you have nowhere else to go,” Gendebein said.
Hospital COO points to potential partnerships
Carthage Hospital Chief Operating Officer Jerian O’Dell said North Star is in talks with at least one outside entity to preserve primary care services at Philadelphia Health Center and potentially expand mental health offerings.
“One entity in particular that we’re talking to is interested in continuing primary care as well as expanding some services on the mental health side, which could be an improvement as to what’s there currently,” O’Dell said.
O’Dell said no agreement has been officially reached.
What comes next
The New York State Department of Health must still approve the cuts North Star has announced. A separate public hearing regarding proposed cuts at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center is scheduled for Wednesday night at Ogdensburg Free Academy.
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