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Congressman Tom Reed announced Tuesday that key health networks and hospitals across the region have agreed to join the 'Western, Finger Lakes, and Southern Tier New York Healthcare Network and Hospital Pledge.' The agreement reflects a good-faith effort by medical providers to ensure local hospitals and health networks are effectively collaborating and coordinating as the region presses forward with reopening. This level of coordination will also help to prevent specific localities from unfairly backsliding into additional shutdown orders, which would have devastating impacts on providers and the local economy.

"Our local hospitals and health care providers are truly incredible, and I thank them for continuing to work with us to make sure communities across Western New York receive the care they need. By sharing resources and bed capacity, the region can continue to meet all the necessary health metrics and return to offering critical elective surgeries and out-patient proceduresa," said Reed. "It is only fair that we come together to provide the people of our state with access to the quality services they deserve."

In addition to facilitating enhanced communication among regional health networks, important progress has been made regarding the team's efforts to further operationalize additional testing capacity in the region.

Earlier this month, Reed coordinated with Quest Diagnostics to secure a major commitment that provided all three regions of Western New York with a supplemental testing capacity of 3,000 tests per day. At the request of the clinical labs, the group has implemented a system to coordinate with Western New York's "Regional Control Rooms" and local stakeholders that ensures surplus testing resources are ready to be dispatched quickly in an organized fashion.

"We're very pleased that Congressman Reed has established direct coordination from the testing facilities to the Regional Control Rooms to Quest Diagnostics in order to provide such valuable supplemental testing capacity," said Tioga County Legislature Chair Martha Sauerbrey.

NYSAC President Jack Marren stated, "Congressman Reed has been a true champion of county governments throughout this pandemic. The Finger Lakes Region thanks Congressman Reed, the healthcare networks, and the hospitals for their commitment of resources to assist us through this phased reopening."

"Chautauqua County has been very fortunate to have Congressman Reed fighting for us at the federal level during this COVID-19 crisis. His efforts answer our needs for increased testing and help reduce the burden on our healthcare networks, all of which have helped us get to Phase I. His commitment and work ethic for local and county governments are second to none. We are fortunate to have Congressman Reed as our representative," said Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel.

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The undersigned, each representing a Regional Healthcare Network and Hospital Facility operating in the Western, Finger Lakes and/or Southern Tier Economic Development Zones, responsible for the re-opening and continuous operations of our area as those regions are defined by the State of New York's phased re-opening plan (the "EDZ Regions") in response to the COVID-19 crisis, make the following pledge by and between our respective healthcare networks and hospitals:

That available excess healthcare and hospital resources shall be shared across the EDZ Regions in good faith, each to the other, to assist each healthcare network and hospital in meeting and maintaining the metrics mandated under State of New York directives, including but not limited to those relating to hospitalization rates and hospital bed capacity, in order for each of the EDZ Regions to qualify and continue to qualify for phased-reopening as well as for each of our healthcare networks and hospitals to qualify and continue to qualify to perform elective surgeries and out-patient procedures.

It is understood and recognized that in making this good-faith pledge our healthcare networks and hospitals demonstrate compliance with the State of New York's requirement of coordination, cooperation, and collaboration across the EDZ Regions.

It is further understood and recognized this good-faith pledge pertains to the sharing of excess healthcare and hospital resources and that nothing contained herein shall act to jeopardize each healthcare network and hospital prioritization and requirements in serving and meeting its own regional obligations and commitments.

May 19, 2020

Cayuga Health System by Martin Stallone, President/CEO

• Cayuga Medical Center
• Schuyler Hospital

Finger Lakes Health by Jose Acevedo, President/CEO

• Geneva General Hospital
• Soldier's & Sailor's Memorial Hospital

Arnot Health by Jonathan Lawrence, President/CEO

• Arnot Ogden Medical Center
• Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital
• St. Joseph's Hospital

Rochester Regional Health by Eric Bieber, President/CEO

• Rochester General Hospital
• Unity Hospital
• Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic
• United Memorial Medical Center
• Newark-Wayne Community Hospital

Kaleida Health by Jody Lomeo, President/CEO

• Buffalo General Medical Center
• DeGraff Memorial Hospital
• Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital
• Olean General Hospital
• Bradford Regional Medical Center
• John R. Oishei Children's Hospital

UR Medicine by Mark Taubman, CEO

• Strong Memorial Hospital
• Golisano Children's Hospital
• Highland Hospital
• FF Thompson Hospital
• Jones Memorial Hospital
• Noyes Memorial Hospital
• St. James Hospital
• Guthrie by Joseph Scopelliti, President/CEO

UPMC by Brian Durniok, President, UPMC Northwest and UPMC Chautauqua

Brooks-TLC Hospital System by Mary LaRowe, President/CEO

Thompson Health by Michael Stapleton, President/CEO

Cuba Memorial Hospital Inc. by Norma Kerling, CEO

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