Buffalo General Medical Center is asking the state to allow them to reduce the number of beds serving patients with high-level rehabilitation needs. However, in a state-required public meeting Thursday, community members and employees urged the state to not allow the change.
“This is a disaster, this decision," said Dr. James Czyrny, a rehabilitation physician with over 41 years of experience, who described leading rehabilitation units at major hospitals in the area throughout his career.
A Medical Rehabilitation Unit, or MRU, allows for inpatient rehabilitation, often post-stroke and for other neurological conditions. In the MRU, a rehabilitation medicine doctor oversees a patient’s care, and they can receive intensive, comprehensive rehabilitation up to three hours a day, six days a week, according to Buffalo General’s website.
However, Buffalo General says that as part of an ongoing strategic plan, they are asking the state to allow them to reduce their MRU from 32 beds to 16.
In an emotional public meeting Thursday, required by the state as part of the reduction process, many argued against the plan.
Dr. Czyrny said in the meeting Buffalo, as a community, does not have adequate resources to meet the need of rehabilitation patients outside of the hospital.
“When people get discharged from MRU or long-term care, almost never will they see a rehab doctor, because our rehab doctors are working on inpatient," Dr. Czyrny said.
Dr. Czyrny urged the state to convene a committee of physicians with his expertise to come up with a stronger plan for the area. Another local rehabilitation physician also spoke and agreed with Dr. Czyrny.
Karen Blount, the president of Buffalo General Medical Center and Gates Vascular Institute, said during the meeting that if demand exceeds availability after the reduction, patients would have a few options. They could either wait for an MRU bed while receiving therapy on a medical surgical floor, they would be moved to Kenmore Mercy or ECMC’s MRUs, or they may go to an outpatient program or outside rehabilitation. The 18 beds no longer part of the MRU would become cardiac intensive care step-down beds.
Many employees, former patients, and other area physicians urged the hospital to reconsider and called for the state to provide more funding to hospitals.
Cori Gambini, a registered nurse of 39 years and president of CWA Local 1168 said during public comment that reducing the MRU "compromises the recovery process for these patients."
"We know that early intensive rehabilitation, especially after a stroke or neurological injuries, significantly improved recovery outcomes and reduces long term disabilities," Gambini said. "Cutting a capacity in the medical rehab unit will diminish the quality of life for these individuals.”
Gambini added that decisions after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act created severe cuts to hospitals are challenging.
“Everything is needed. There is no right answer here. All of the options are wrong,” Gambini said.
A Kaleida spokesperson said in a statement that the change would take place this year, pending Department of Health approval.
