Chloe Learey, chair of the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital board of directors, gave this statement at a July 14 community rally in support of the hospital’s Birthing Center.
BRATTLEBORO-I want to acknowledge what an emotional couple of weeks this has been for many of us in our community.
We understand how critical the Birthing Center is and that planning for its closure is not something anyone wants to do. The financial reality of reimbursement rates, declining birth volumes, and on-going workforce challenges have intensified the pressure.
The hospital currently loses between $17,000 and $21,000 per birth, and the birthing center is on track to lose $4.8 million this fiscal year. This is not sustainable.
The board voted to plan for closure in order to submit a budget to regulators that indicates we are righting the ship. We have a responsibility to ensure that BMH remains strong enough to continue serving the community.
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This is not simply a Brattleboro Memorial Hospital issue. Over the past several years, other Vermont hospitals have also been forced to close maternity services because of the same financial pressures.
This is a statewide challenge that requires a statewide solution.
We believe our situation could serve as a catalyst for a broader conversation about how Vermont funds maternity care and whether we are committed to preserving access for families across our state.
We appreciate the governor’s engagement on the issue and the willingness of state leaders to examine potential solutions. We understand there are many competing demands for limited resources across Vermont.
I want to clarify the purpose of the state’s $1 million stabilization grant. Those funds were not intended to support the day-to-day operations of the Birthing Center. They were designated to help the hospital evaluate service lines, explore the feasibility of becoming a Federally Qualified Health Center, and assess and improve our financial systems.
We appreciate that investment, but it did not address the ongoing operational losses associated with obstetrical care.
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Although the board has approved a plan to move toward closing obstetric services, no final closure date has been set. The Birthing Center remains open, and we are continuing to work with the Governor’s Office, state agencies, legislators, community leaders, and other partners to determine whether there is a sustainable path forward.
It is essential for us to work together as a community with our elected leaders to find solutions, because preserving local obstetric care is not a challenge any one hospital can solve alone.
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This is not a question of whether Brattleboro Memorial Hospital values maternity care. We do. It is not a question of whether we are committed to children and families. We are.
The real question is whether Vermont is willing to create a sustainable way to pay for maternity care so that rural communities can continue to provide these essential services.
Our hope is that Brattleboro becomes more than another community losing a Birthing Center. We hope it becomes the turning point where Vermont comes together to build a sustainable future for birthing services.
If we can do that, we will not only protect families in Brattleboro, but families across our entire state, as well as strengthen the health of Vermont overall.
Thank you for being here, for your thoughtful questions, and for your continued support of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and the community we are honored to serve.
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