MORRISVILLE – Birthing Center staff and union president Sarah Chouinard confirmed the board of trustees decision; “There was a meeting at 3 p.m this afternoon with the Birthing Center Staff. They will announce a closing date by the end of June and meet with us individually in July.”
No specific closure date was given in the press release, which stated pre- and postpartum care will continue to be offered at the Morrisville hospital.
The hospital has been considering closing the birthing center since March, when the board of trustees announced a consultant was hired to review several options. According to internal sources, however, the board initially concealed this information from center staff and employees. Since then, former patients, community members, area residents, fathers and business owners have rallied to support center staff in a highly publicized campaign.
According to the press release, the Copley Board of Trustees voted for the closure of the birthing center on Tuesday.
The press release cited a decline in births as a contributing factor to the board’s choice. CEO Joseph Woodin previously made similar statements in an open letter; “Over the past decade, we have consistently seen fewer than 200 births annually and this year, we are anticipating only about 110 to 115 deliveries. National standards suggest we need between 200-240 births annually for safe, high-quality care. Additionally, not even half of Lamoille County births occurred at Copley in 2023, meaning over half of the county’s expectant mothers chose to deliver elsewhere. Low volume results not just in quality concerns but in financial pressures as well. The Birthing Center is operating at a loss of $3 to $5 million a year.”
Birthing Center employees have consistently rejected Woodin’s claims. Chouinard’s response to Woodin included data going back four years; “In 2024 We did 177 births, 2023 was 156 births, 2022 was 197 births, 2021 178 births. I can go back further if we need. . . There is no magic number of births that can account for our quality driven care. The years of experience that the nurses and midwives here have is huge. . . As far as the number of people that go elsewhere…. There are patients that risk out of care here. We do not have a NICU and some higher risk pregnancies have their care transferred to UVM. Our providers do such a good job of appropriately designating which pregnancies are appropriate for Copley or safe if you will, that our good outcomes (reported via statistics and compiled and compared with other similar hospitals), reflect their care and dedication to our patient population. That $3 to 5 million dollar loss a year makes no sense and there is zero proof of it anywhere that anyone has been able to find.”
The Northern New England Perinatal Quality Improvement Network (NNEPQIN), a Dartmouth Health program, also provided a letter of support detailing the value of maintaining Copley’s OB services. Nonetheless, the board of trustees have stated that a comprehensive plan is being developed to transition care of birthing families to a regional model. Families will have many choices about where and how to access maternity care, said the board’s press release, though access to the kind of patient-led and midwifery model of care offered at the Copley Hospital Birthing Center may no longer be available.
Raymonda Parchment is a Hardwick Gazette reporter. She recently graduated from Vermont State University - Castleton with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She is a strong supporter of freedom of speech, and the right to publish information, opinions, and ideas without censorship or restraint. She is a lifelong lover of the written word, and is excited to join the team as a staff member.
