While a strike is underway at Mercy Hospital, the South Buffalo hospital remains open, with reduced services.
Mercy is relying on replacement workers supplied by a Michigan-based firm, Huffmaster. Unionized workers went on strike at the hospital early Friday.
What services have been suspended at Mercy?
Mercy Hospital has suspended labor and delivery services. But Catholic Health continues to offer mother and baby services at Sisters of Charity Hospital in Buffalo and Mt. St. Mary's Hospital in Lewiston.Â
Mercy has also suspended inpatient elective surgeries, and is diverting ambulances from the hospital and Mercy Ambulatory Care Center, although the hospital's emergency department and the ambulatory care center are open to walk-in traffic.
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Where else can patients go instead?
Kaleida Health said labor and delivery cases have increased at Oishei Children's Hospital, and cardiac and stroke cases have increased at Gates Vascular Institute.
Kaleida said emergency room volumes at its facilities are up but have remained manageable.
Erie County Medical Center scaled back some of its services this week, in light of a staffing reduction resulting from the state's vaccine mandate. The hospital has suspended inpatient elective surgeries, and is limiting transfers of intensive care unit patients from other hospitals.
"We have seen some patients as a result of the Mercy Hospital emergency room diversion," said Peter Cutler, an ECMC spokesman.
Matt Glynn
