AMHERST, N.Y. (WKBW) — Kaleida Health has announced the closure of another facility, adding to the concerns about access to healthcare in Western New York.
The Millard Fillmore Surgery Center in Amherst is closing on October 1. This comes after an announcement that two clinics, Buffalo Therapy Services and DeGraff Medical Park, are closing on November 10. More than 60 employees will be impacted, with a majority being union-represented workers.
"We can't stop them from closing the surgery center, but we bargained for a severance package for people," said Cori Gambini, president of CWA Local 1168. "People will have up to eight weeks of pay. Obviously, they can collect unemployment as they're looking for other work."
Patients Express Concerns about Losing Care
Retired perioperative nurse, Marlene Craden, knows firsthand the care that Kaleida Health provides to patients. She retired in November 2024, having served for 50 years. Since 2019, she has been receiving therapy for her shoulder and now for chronic pain in her spine at the Maple Road site.
"It becomes very painful to the point, sometimes it's almost disabling," Craden said. "You can't sit, you can't get out of a chair, you can't get out of your car. You can't get out of your bed."
Craden visits weekly, depending on her level of pain, which she says is a 9 out of 10.
"My whole reason for speaking is I'm sort of begging Kaleida to reconsider what they've done and see if there's anything that they could possibly do to keep these physical therapy sites open and available to the patients. Especially the patients who have been going there for a long time for chronic problems," she said.
WATCH: 'Keep these places open': Workers and patients react to more Kaleida Health closures
Gambini said the union is actively working to get officials to understand the impact of these closures.
"If you need anything, please call us. Same thing to the patients; we'll work with you. We're fighting, trying to figure out if there's a way to keep these places open. That's what we want to see happen," Gambini said.
She warned about the long-term consequences of closing healthcare facilities.
"Once you close the hospital, it's not easy. You can't just reopen it," she said. "These things will happen, and then when everyone realizes what a terrible mistake it is, it's going to take years to dig ourselves out of that hole."
The union will hold a press conference on Wednesday, September 17, outside DeGraff Medical Park.
