Columbia Memorial Health traces its roots back to 1887, when Hudson Hospital was first established in a house at the corner of North Fifth and Washington streets. In 1900, the hospital moved to its first building on Prospect Avenue.
Today, the hospital is the city's, indeed the county's, largest employer, and we all rest a little easier knowing that there is a hospital in our city, close by, only minutes away. But, after nearly 140 years, the future of Hudson's hospital seems unclear.
In 2014, the hospital announced plans to enter into a "strategic alliance" with Albany Medical Center. In 2015, the relationship between the two institutions was described as AMC being the "parent" of CMH. Around that time, too, the H in CMH came to stand for "Health" instead of "Hospital." By 2022, it was clear Columbia Memorial was one of four hospitals in the Albany Med Health System, and new signage introduced in 2023 made that relationship clear.
A plan is currently being pursued to change the hospital's designation from "rural hospital" to "critical access hospital" and to reduce the number of medical beds to 25. The plan is being presented as a necessary step to ensure the survival of the hospital. At the same time, CMH is adding 23 beds in its inpatient psychiatric unit, more than doubling its capacity.
Members of the hospital workers union, 1199 SEIU, take issue with the plans, which they say would reduce the services provided at CMH by 80 percent. They have been trying without success to meet with members of the hospital administration.
Today at 4:00 p.m., members of the union plan to attend the annual friends event of the Healthcare Consortium, hoping to make contact and state their case. The meeting takes place at Hudson Hall and is open to the public. It might be a good way to get some insight into just what's happening at an institution we all count on to be there when we need it.
COPYRIGHT 2026 CAROLE OSTERINK
If I were the cynical sort, I’d think CMH was being transformed into the Albany Med psych hospital. Though given the state of local politics they may just be responding to demand.
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