UTICA, N.Y. — Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) is consolidating its services provided by St. Elizabeth Home Care (SEHC) and the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Utica and Oneida County, effective June 30.
MVHS contends that the consolidation will result in “greater efficiency” in the delivery of care, the organization said in a news release issued Tuesday.
The decision impacts SEHC’s 14 employees, who can apply for other positions within the health system, MVHS said in an email response to a BJNN inquiry.
“Our organization, like so many in our area, has a number of openings for all types of positions, especially nursing. VNA of Utica and Oneida County currently has 19 positions open,” MVHS said.
VNA currently employs 106 people.
MVHS is an affiliation of Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center, both of Utica. The two organizations teamed up in March 2014.
St Elizabeth Home Care is SEMC’s home health-care agency. MVHS also owns the Visiting Nurse Association of Utica and Oneida County.
As of April 29, SEHC is no longer accepting admissions, MVHS said. It will close effective June 30.
SEHC had been in operation for 15 years.
In early 2015, the VNA of Utica and Oneida County entered into a management contract with St. Elizabeth Home Care to share services between the two home-health agencies, according to an online brochure detailing the Visiting Nurse Association’s 100th anniversary.
Those SEHC patients that require ongoing home-care services will transition to VNA of Utica and Oneida County, Acacia Home Care of Utica, and Visiting Nurse Association Home Care of Syracuse, MVHS said in the email. SEHC currently services a total of 56 patients.
MVHS home-care services include high-tech therapies; assistance with the basics of daily living; along with nursing services; infusion therapy; wound care; disease management; and “multi-discipline” rehabilitation therapy, the organization said in its news release.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com