Buffalo General Medical Center to Reduce Rehab Beds, Impacting 22 Employees

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Buffalo General Medical Center, part of the Kaleida Health system, will be reducing the number of beds in its medical rehabilitation unit from 34 to 16 later in 2026, pending state approval. The remaining 18 beds will be repurposed for much-needed inpatient capacity. This change will impact 22 full- and part-time employees, and Kaleida Health is working to find other positions within the system for the affected staff.

Why it matters

The bed reduction is part of Kaleida Health's broader $200 million strategic plan to strengthen the system's long-term sustainability, expand services and access, and improve patient care. While the change will impact some employees, the hospital says patients requiring medical rehabilitation care beyond the remaining 16 beds will still have access to other facilities in the community.

The details

Buffalo General Medical Center will be reducing its medical rehabilitation unit beds from 34 to 16 later in 2026, pending approval from the New York State Department of Health. The remaining 18 beds will be repurposed for much-needed inpatient capacity as part of Kaleida Health's $200 million strategic plan to improve the system's long-term viability and patient care.

• The bed reduction will take place later in 2026, pending state approval.

What’s next

The plan to reduce the medical rehabilitation unit beds at Buffalo General Medical Center still requires approval from the New York State Department of Health.