Our Mission
We are a coalition of individuals and organizations with the goal of preserving evidence-based, inclusive, and comprehensive patient-centered care in Schenectady County. Specifically, we seek to maintain access to comprehensive reproductive care, infertility care, LGBTQ+-inclusive care, gender affirming care and end-of-life care within our local community, and we oppose any imposition of religious bias or restriction on our ability to learn about, choose and be provided with medical treatment.
Our purpose is not only to protect patient rights, but also—as a matter of healthcare justice—ensure that such care is locally accessible, equitably distributed and non-coercive whether it is currently available or may become available in the future.
Our Community Priorities
Regardless of the corporate structure, whether Ellis Medicine is an independent corporation, divided into separate entities, or made part of St. Peter’s Hospital, St. Peter’s Healthcare Partners, Trinity Health or any of their successors or assigns, these are the community’s priorities concerning healthcare provided at Ellis Medicine’s facilities and by its employees:
Healthcare will continue to be evidence-based, inclusive, comprehensive and patient-centered.
Religious bias or restriction shall not interfere with a patient’s ability to learn about, choose and be provided with healthcare.
Specifically, comprehensive reproductive care, infertility care, LGBTQ+-inclusive care, gender affirming care and end-of-life care will not be affected in any way by the Ethical and Religious Directives for Healthcare Services or similar doctrine or because of any religious affiliation or corporate affiliation with a Catholic healthcare provider or insurer.
No decision on whether to provide any service or procedure in the future shall include consideration of any religious directive, doctrine, bias, restriction or implication.
As a matter of healthcare justice, Ellis will maintain and work towards ensuring that such care is locally accessible, equitably distributed and non-coercive.
As a matter of healthcare equity, Ellis will not reduce, and work towards enhancing, Charity Care and service to uninsured, underinsured and Medicaid patients.
In the event that procedures, services, products, or care are discontinued, for whatever reason, information will be widely publicized and available on all print and digital marketing materials with sufficient specificity that a prospective patient can find and understand their options for care before seeking care at Ellis.
Moreover, the process shall be expanded as follows:
No agreement shall be filed with any state oversight agency until Ellis Medicine has given the community opportunity to learn about and provide feedback to the proposed partnership with St. Peter’s. Specifically, Ellis will hold at least three community-wide public forums which include the opportunity for public questions and comments.
Following public forums and community feedback, Ellis will create a task force of individuals representing Ellis, St. Peter’s and the Community to consider, research, and propose solutions to these and newly identified community priorities.
These community priorities will be incorporated and enumerated in any document(s) controlling the relationship between Ellis and its proposed partner.