Mohawk Valley Health System#Wynn Hospital

As early as 2014, the same year MVHS was established, the organization began exploring the potential for a new hospital to replace the three existing campuses. A site was ultimately selected in downtown Utica that would displace 38 businesses, prompting community opposition and a lawsuit,{{Cite news|title=Downtown Utica hospital project faces lawsuit|url=https://www.wrvo.org/post/downtown-utica-hospital-project-faces-lawsuit|last=Horning|first=Payne|website=WRVO|date=20 May 2019|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2020-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016131139/https://www.wrvo.org/post/downtown-utica-hospital-project-faces-lawsuit|url-status=live}} with billionaire Robert Mercer's group Reclaim New York supporting the opposition.{{Cite news |date=2018-02-21 |title=Reclaim NY active in downtown Utica hospital debate |url=https://www.wrvo.org/politics-and-government/2018-02-21/reclaim-ny-active-in-downtown-utica-hospital-debate |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=WRVO |language=en |first=Payne |last=Horning |archive-date=2023-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506005744/https://www.wrvo.org/politics-and-government/2018-02-21/reclaim-ny-active-in-downtown-utica-hospital-debate |url-status=live }} The new medical center was designed to be 10 stories and 702,000 sq. ft.{{Cite news|title=MVHS holds information session on new downtown hospital project|url=https://www.wktv.com/content/news/MVHS-holds-information-session-on-new-downtown-hospital-project-561329981.html|website=WKTV News|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2020-08-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810224039/https://www.wktv.com/content/news/MVHS-holds-information-session-on-new-downtown-hospital-project-561329981.html|url-status=live}} More recent plans cite the size as 672,000 sq. ft.{{Cite news|title=Groundbreaking planned for new Utica hospital|url=https://www.wrvo.org/post/groundbreaking-planned-new-utica-hospital|last=Horning|first=Payne|website=WRVO|date=9 December 2019|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2019-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210155848/https://www.wrvo.org/post/groundbreaking-planned-new-utica-hospital|url-status=live}} Ground was broken in 2019. In March 2021 MVHS announced that the hospital would be named The Wynn Hospital of the Mohawk Valley Health System after Steve Wynn (who was raised in Utica) donated $50 million to the project.{{Cite web|date=March 4, 2021|first=Bill|last=Keeler|title=New Name For MVHS After Steve Wynn Donates $50 Mil|url=https://wibx950.com/new-name-for-mvhs-after-steve-wynn-donates-50-mil/|access-date=2021-03-30|website=WIBX 950|language=en|archive-date=2021-03-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310001324/https://wibx950.com/new-name-for-mvhs-after-steve-wynn-donates-50-mil/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2021-03-05|title=Casino mogul Steve Wynn, who grew up in CNY, donates $50M for new Utica hospital|url=https://www.syracuse.com/business/2021/03/casino-mogul-steve-wynn-who-grew-up-in-cny-donates-50m-for-new-utica-hospital.html|access-date=2021-03-30|website=syracuse|language=en|first=James T.|last=Mulder|archive-date=2021-03-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310014412/https://www.syracuse.com/business/2021/03/casino-mogul-steve-wynn-who-grew-up-in-cny-donates-50m-for-new-utica-hospital.html|url-status=live}}

The new hospital opened on October 29, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Caputo |first=Thomas |date=2023-10-29 |title=HAPPENING TODAY: Wynn Hospital officially opens |url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/wynn-hospital-mvhs-october-2023-opening-day/article_dfc4fe4c-74ec-11ee-9fb8-a3397c8dc2e1.html |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Rome Sentinel |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029201035/https://www.romesentinel.com/news/wynn-hospital-mvhs-october-2023-opening-day/article_dfc4fe4c-74ec-11ee-9fb8-a3397c8dc2e1.html |url-status=live }} An issue with an air handling unit on the second floor was discovered shortly before opening: MVHS and the New York State Department of Health determined that the move should continue as planned. 47 trauma patients were diverted to other area hospitals, and elective surgeries were deferred, until the issue was fixed on November 6.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-29 |title=Wynn Hospital to temporarily delay major surgeries |url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/wynn-hospital-to-temporarily-delay-major-surgeries/article_d8fb1a76-7652-11ee-acbc-d3f2bc0608de.html |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=Rome Sentinel |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Caputo|first=Thomas|date=2023-11-06 |title=MVHS officials denounce rumors surrounding Wynn Hospital |url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/mvhs-wynn-hospital-utica-opening-flooding-mold/article_50da3d2c-7cf9-11ee-9ede-2f4888d462a6.html |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=Rome Sentinel |language=en}}

The Wynn Hospital was designated a level III trauma center in February 2024.{{cite web | title=Wynn Hospital receives Level III adult trauma center designation from state | website=Rome Sentinel | date=2024-02-09 | url=https://www.romesentinel.com/townnews/hospital/wynn-hospital-mohawk-valley-health-system-trauma-nysdoh/article_fe715ac6-c775-11ee-a737-9b126eb525b8.html | access-date=2024-06-12 | archive-date=2024-06-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612000511/https://www.romesentinel.com/townnews/hospital/wynn-hospital-mohawk-valley-health-system-trauma-nysdoh/article_fe715ac6-c775-11ee-a737-9b126eb525b8.html | url-status=live }}

Nurses moving from the two closing hospitals to Wynn consolidated their unions under the New York State Nurses Association. {{As of|November 2023}}, contract negotiations had stalled. The nurses' union held a demonstration outside the hospital; after MVHS threatened to discipline participating nurses, NYSNA filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.{{Cite web |last=Caputo |first=Thomas|date=2023-11-20 |title=Nurses union files labor dispute against MVHS |url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/nysna-mvhs-wynn-hospital-labor-practices/article_810563be-87ad-11ee-a5f1-73fe812bd74d.html |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=Rome Sentinel |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Nurses charge Mohawk Valley Health System with unfair labor practice |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2023/11/27/ny-nurses-union-protests-mvhs-discipline-for-nurses-at-speak-out/71715672007/ |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US|date=2023-11-27|first=Amy Neff|last=Roth}} Like in other hospitals in New York State, nurses have filed complaints about understaffing.{{Cite web |title=Hospital understaffing complaints piling up in NY. Which hospitals violated staffing law? |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2023/12/04/ny-hospital-understaffing-complaints-mount-will-state-take-action/71769250007/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US|date=2023-12-04}} In June 2024, the CEO of MVHS mentioned that divisions between nurses from the two hospitals were still present.{{cite web | last=Derminio | first=Andrew | title=MVHS CEO Speaks Out on Several Controversies at Wynn Hospital | website=WIBX 950 | date=2024-06-11 | url=https://wibx950.com/mvhs-ceo-speaks-out-on-wynn-hospital/ | access-date=2024-06-12 | archive-date=2024-06-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612010342/https://wibx950.com/mvhs-ceo-speaks-out-on-wynn-hospital/ | url-status=live }}

On May 8, 2024, the New York State Department of Health issued an immediate jeopardy warning for Wynn's open-heart surgery program. MVHS officials cited issues with management of the program and the program's two cardiothoracic surgeons. Open-heart surgeries were diverted to St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center in Syracuse.{{cite web | last=Roth | first=Amy Neff | title=Wynn Hospital open-heart surgery: Paused over 'immediate jeopardy' | website=Utica Observer Dispatch | date=2024-05-10 | url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2024/05/10/wynn-hospital-open-heart-surgery-paused-over-immediate-jeopardy/73643127007/ | access-date=2024-05-11}} Some cardiac surgeries other than open-heart surgery resumed on June 20.{{cite web | title=Cardiac procedures to resume at Wynn; Open-heart surgeries remain suspended | website=Rome Sentinel | date=2024-06-03 | url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/wynn-hospital-cardiac-open-heart-surgery/article_befa4174-299e-11ef-bbb7-47635ff869f9.html | access-date=2024-06-13 | archive-date=2024-06-13 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613203928/https://www.romesentinel.com/news/wynn-hospital-cardiac-open-heart-surgery/article_befa4174-299e-11ef-bbb7-47635ff869f9.html | url-status=live }}

Early in June 2024, physician assistants were temporarily barred from performing invasive procedures while MVHS confirmed their credentials.{{cite web | last=Caputo | first=Thomas | title=MVHS suspends physician assistant invasive procedures at Wynn Hospital | website=Rome Sentinel | date=2024-06-03 | url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/wynn-hospital-utica-physician-assistant/article_3bb95cfc-2758-11ef-9824-c3e3b400735b.html | access-date=2024-06-11 | archive-date=2024-06-11 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611041942/https://www.romesentinel.com/news/wynn-hospital-utica-physician-assistant/article_3bb95cfc-2758-11ef-9824-c3e3b400735b.html | url-status=live }} At the end of 2024, the former director of medical staff services filed suit against MVHS, claiming she was terminated and retaliated against for exposing lapses in credentialing.{{cite web | last=Caputo | first=Thomas | last2=Manore | first2=Alexis | title=Lawsuit claims MVHS fired whistleblower for exposing credentialing lapses | website=Rome Sentinel | date=2024-11-04 | url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/mvhs-wynn-hospital-utica/article_e1c41fae-b409-11ef-ad98-d7056ff46e5c.html | access-date=2024-12-08}}

MVHS closed its Adult Day Health Care program on June 7, 2024, citing staffing challenges and declining patient demand.{{cite web | title=MVHS closes Adult Day Health Care program | website=Rome Sentinel | date=2024-06-03 | url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/mvhs-adult-day-heath-care-closed/article_c0a2569c-243f-11ef-a217-1b4f541972e9.html | access-date=2024-06-11 | archive-date=2024-06-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612000510/https://www.romesentinel.com/news/mvhs-adult-day-heath-care-closed/article_c0a2569c-243f-11ef-a217-1b4f541972e9.html | url-status=live }} On the same day, MVHS announced a partnership with VNS Health to operate its senior health program.{{cite web | title=MVHS Senior Network Health Merger | website=WKTV NewsChannel2 | date=2024-06-07 | url=https://www.wktv.com/video/mvhs-senior-network-health-merger/video_2a68ee18-c922-5a5d-83a0-0663ac56ae4a.html | access-date=2024-06-11 | archive-date=2024-06-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612000508/https://www.wktv.com/video/mvhs-senior-network-health-merger/video_2a68ee18-c922-5a5d-83a0-0663ac56ae4a.html | url-status=live }}

On August 1, 2024, MVHS appointed a new Chief Operating Officer, Dr. William W. LeCates.{{cite web | last=Caputo | first=Thomas | title=MVHS welcomes new COO | website=Rome Sentinel | date=2024-06-03 | url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/mvhs-wynn-lecates-utica/article_6e4b0dc2-4dc4-11ef-a5e1-8787fd78fc1d.html | access-date=2024-08-04 | archive-date=2024-08-04 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804014632/https://www.romesentinel.com/news/mvhs-wynn-lecates-utica/article_6e4b0dc2-4dc4-11ef-a5e1-8787fd78fc1d.html | url-status=live }}

In early January 2025, a surge of patients forced the Wynn hospital to divert emergency patients other than heart attacks, strokes, and trauma to other hospitals. A diversion on January 4 lasted five hours, and another on January 6 lasted three. The MVHS chief medical officer attributed the diversion to seasonal illness, winter accidents, and a large number of stroke patients. A Utica city councillor pointed to inadequate staffing instead, common to other upstate hospitals, and put forward a resolution requesting assistance from the New York National Guard, as they had during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web | last=Caputo | first=Thomas | title=Overcrowding forces Wynn Hospital into diversion twice within days | website=Rome Sentinel | date=2025-01-08 | url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/wynn-hospital-utica/article_8fa046f0-ceb5-11ef-acff-975d59f033c2.html | access-date=2025-01-25}}

Faxton Hospital evolved from the union of two facilities: Children's Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, an outgrowth of the Utica Orphan Asylum on Genesee Street established in 1830, and Faxton Hospital, established by Theodore S. Faxton on Sunset Avenue in Utica in 1875. On January 1, 1989, Faxton Hospital and Children's Hospital merged to become Faxton Hospital.

St. Elizabeth's Hospital was founded in West Utica in 1866. Mother M. Bernardina, founder of the Order of St. Francis in Syracuse, was a teacher in Utica and founded the hospital to care for its residents. It was originally located in a small house donated by St. Joseph Church.{{Cite news|title=St. E's celebrates 150 years of healing|url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2016/12/10/st-e-s-celebrates-150/24286871007/|last=Roth|first=Amy Neff|website=Utica Observer-Dispatch|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03|date=2016-12-10|archive-date=2023-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029203236/https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2016/12/10/st-e-s-celebrates-150/24286871007/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=A History of Hospitals In Utica|url=https://www.uticaphoenix.net/2018/03/12/a-history-of-hospitals-in-utica/|last=Mancuso|first=T|website=Utica Phoenix|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-03|date=2018-03-12|archive-date=2019-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703093511/https://www.uticaphoenix.net/2018/03/12/a-history-of-hospitals-in-utica/|url-status=live}}{{unreliable source?|date=October 2023}}

St. Luke's-Memorial Hospital Center traces its roots to the original St. Luke's Home established in 1869 and the Utica Homeopathic Hospital established in 1895. The Utica Homeopathic Hospital was later renamed Utica Memorial Hospital. In 1949, the two hospitals merged and in 1957, St. Luke's-Memorial Hospital opened at its current location on the St. Luke's Campus on Champlin Avenue in New Hartford.

On July 23, 1992, the Board of Trustees of St. Luke's-Memorial Hospital unanimously approved an affiliation with Faxton Hospital and the two hospitals formed the Mohawk Valley Network. In 1997, Faxton Hospital and St. Luke's-Memorial combined their governing boards into a common 25-member board to serve both hospitals. In 1998, the hospitals formed a single management and in 1999, the hospitals’ foundations combined. On January 1, 2000 the consolidation was completed by the creation of a single entity, Faxton St. Luke's Healthcare.{{cite web|title=Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare|url=http://www.uticanurses.com/utica.nsf/faxtonstlukeshealthcarepage!openpage|publisher=Utica Nurses|access-date=17 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617195017/http://www.uticanurses.com/utica.nsf/FaxtonStLukesHealthcarePage!OpenPage|archive-date=17 June 2013|url-status=dead}} In 2002, the board of directors approved the consolidation of programs and services.

In December 2011, the Boards of Directors for Faxton St. Luke's Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center passed a resolution to begin discussions on the feasibility and benefits of merging or undertaking other transactions that would more closely link the two hospitals. The two organizations had already been collaborative, having founded the Mohawk Valley Heart Institute in 1996 and the Regional Cancer Center in 2000. In December 2012, the organizations signed a memorandum of understanding as the official first step toward affiliation. In December 2013, the Attorney General of New York announced a settlement addressing competitive concerns and allowing the affiliation to move forward.{{cite web | title=A.G. Schneiderman Announces Settlement With Utica Hospitals To Address Competitive Concerns | website=New York State Attorney General | date=2013-12-11 | url=https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2013/ag-schneiderman-announces-settlement-utica-hospitals-address-competitive-concerns | access-date=2024-08-03 | archive-date=2024-08-03 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240803153141/https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2013/ag-schneiderman-announces-settlement-utica-hospitals-address-competitive-concerns | url-status=live }} On March 6, 2014, Faxton St. Luke's Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center announced their affiliation under the Mohawk Valley Health System.{{cite news |last=Cooper |first=Elizabeth |title=Faxton St. Luke's, St. Elizabeth begin merger talks |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/environment/2011/12/16/faxton-st-luke-s-st/44856281007/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US |date=2011-12-16 |archive-date=2023-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029203244/https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/environment/2011/12/16/faxton-st-luke-s-st/44856281007/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|title=A History of Caring for our Communities|url=https://mvhealthsystem.org/history|website=Mohawk Valley Health System|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2020-08-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809024021/https://www.mvhealthsystem.org/history|url-status=live}} Adirondack Community Physicians and St. Elizabeth Medical Group merged to become MVHS Medical Group.{{Cite web|title=Primary Care & Specialty Doctors|url=https://mvhealthsystem.org/medical-group|website=Mohawk Valley Health System|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2020-09-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903032230/https://www.mvhealthsystem.org/medical-group|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|title=Business People For October 15, 2017|url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/business/2017/10/17/business-people-for-october-15/18277301007/|website=Utica Observer-Dispatch|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03|date=2017-10-17|archive-date=2023-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029203244/https://www.uticaod.com/story/business/2017/10/17/business-people-for-october-15/18277301007/|url-status=live}}

In 2019, MVHS formally consolidated their two fundraising foundations after informally operating together since 2016. The Faxton St. Luke's Healthcare Foundation and the St. Elizabeth Medical Center Foundation became the Mohawk Valley Health System Foundation.{{Cite news|title=Faxton-St. Luke's, St. Elizabeth Medical Center foundations merge|url=https://www.cnybj.com/faxton-st-lukes-st-elizabeth-medical-center-foundations-merge/|newspaper=Central New York Business Journal|language=en-us|access-date=2020-05-03|date=2019-02-03|archive-date=2023-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029201044/https://www.cnybj.com/faxton-st-lukes-st-elizabeth-medical-center-foundations-merge/|url-status=live}}

• St. Elizabeth College of Nursing

• {{official website|mvhealthsystem.org}}

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{{City of Utica, New York}}

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Category:Healthcare in New York (state)

Category:Hospital networks in the United States

Category:Medical and health organizations based in New York (state)

Category:Hospitals in New York (state)