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Massachusetts lawmakers have met with Steward Health Care amid concerns that financial problems could force the closure of some of the hospitals the company operates in the state. Dallas-based Steward Health Care, which reportedly owes $50 million in unpaid rent, operates Carney Hospital in Dorchester. , Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Holy Family in Haverhill and Methuen, Morton Hospital in Taunton, Nashoba Valley Medical Center, New England Sinai Hospital, Norwood Hospital, Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River and St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton. Rep. Stephen Lynch said Steward wants to sell four hospitals as soon as possible, including the Norwood facility, which has been closed since June 2020 due to flooding. Steward was moving forward with plans to rebuild the facility. The company also wants to close Nashoba Valley Medical Center, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center and Holy Family Hospital, Lynch said. Lynch said state officials were blindsided by the announcement and are now fighting to keep Steward Hospitals open. “They expressed their intention to exit the Massachusetts health care market,” Lynch said. “They own nine hospitals. How can that be interpreted in a positive way?” “I haven’t seen any plans from Steward,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “Steward hasn’t come forward with anything. People should know this: Our goal will be for patients to be protected, for jobs to be protected, and for the health care system in Massachusetts to be stabilized.” Massachusetts’ congressional delegation sent a letter to Steward’s CEO reminding him of the significant impacts on patient care if they decide to exit the health care business in the state. “This is happening at a time of an increase in cases due to COVID, so we are seeing increased demand,” Lynch said. saying. “I was very caught off guard and I think I speak for the entire congressional delegation in that regard.” Management downplayed reports of closures in an email to employees obtained by WCVB. “We are working hard to address the challenges we face and have been working diligently with our lenders to secure additional funding that will go a long way toward normalizing hospital operations,” Executive Vice President Michael Callum said in an email to staff Thursday. “We have not asked the state and currently do not believe we need any kind of government bailout,” Callum also wrote. Maj. Gen. Brigham said he was moving scheduled surgeries and procedures at one of Steward’s hospitals. “After hearing that certain surgical equipment may not be available, we made the decision to reschedule upcoming orthopedic and gastrointestinal procedures at Holy Family Hospital,” said Tom Sequist, chief medical officer at Mass General Brigham. “We deeply regret Mass General Brigham’s decision to no longer perform surgeries at Holy Family Hospital, a facility that serves a vulnerable patient population in its community, who need and deserve quality health care close to home,” a statement read. written by Steward Health Care. “The fact that one of the largest health care providers in Massachusetts terminated its health care underlines the fact that Steward hospitals are not receiving the support they need, nor the recognition of the quality care they provide,” says the written statement. The president of Holy Family Hospital announced Friday that he would resign to take another job. He said he cares for a large number of Medicare and Medicaid patients, and they are not reimbursed for that care as well as they should be. “Our goal will be to ensure that patients across this state, including anywhere there is a Steward center, have access to care, are protected and jobs are protected and the health care system is stable,” Healey said. The company employs more than 16,000 nurses, doctors and other frontline essential healthcare workers in the state. Video Below: Massachusetts Doctor Explains What Steward Health’s Troubles Mean for Patients
Massachusetts lawmakers met with Steward Health Care amid concerns that financial problems could force the closure of some of the hospitals the company operates in the state.
Dallas-based Steward Health Care, which allegedly owes $50 million in unpaid rent, operates Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Holy Family in Haverhill and Methuen, Morton Hospital in Taunton, the Nashoba Valley Medical Center and New England Sinai Hospital. , Norwood Hospital, Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River and St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton.
Rep. Stephen Lynch said Steward wants to sell four hospitals as soon as possible, including the Norwood facility, which has been closed since June 2020 due to flooding. Steward was moving forward with plans to rebuild the facility.
The company also wants to close Nashoba Valley Medical Center, St. Elizabeth Medical Center and Holy Family Hospital, Lynch said.
Lynch said state officials were blindsided by the announcement and are now fighting to keep Steward hospitals open.
“They expressed their intention to exit the Massachusetts health care market,” Lynch said. “They own nine hospitals. How can that be interpreted in a positive way?”
“(I) haven’t seen any plans from Steward,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “Steward hasn’t come forward with anything. People should know this: Our goal will be for patients to be protected, for jobs to be protected, and for the health care system in Massachusetts to be stabilized.”
Massachusetts’ congressional delegation sent a letter to Steward’s CEO reminding him of the significant impacts on patient care if they decide to exit the health care business in the state.
“This is happening at a time of an increase in cases due to COVID, so we are seeing increased demand,” Lynch said. “It took me very by surprise and I think I speak for the entire congressional delegation in that regard.”
Management downplayed reports of closures in an email to employees obtained by WCVB.
“We are working hard to address the challenges we face and have been working diligently with our lenders to secure additional funding that will go a long way toward normalizing hospital operations,” Executive Vice President Michael Callum said in an email to staff Thursday. .
“We have not asked the State and currently do not believe we need any kind of government bailout,” Callum also wrote.
Maj. Gen. Brigham said he was moving scheduled surgeries and procedures at one of Steward’s hospitals.
“After hearing that certain surgical equipment may not be available, we made the decision to reschedule upcoming orthopedic and gastrointestinal procedures at Holy Family Hospital,” said Tom Sequist, chief medical officer at Mass General Brigham.
“We deeply regret General Mass Brigham’s decision to no longer perform surgeries at Holy Family Hospital, a facility that serves a vulnerable patient population in their community, who need and deserve quality medical care close to home,” said a written statement from Steward Health Care. .
“The fact that one of Massachusetts’ largest health care providers terminated their care underscores the fact that Steward Hospitals are not receiving the support they need, nor the recognition of the quality care they provide,” the written statement said. .
The president of Holy Family Hospital announced Friday that he would resign to take another job.
Steward has said he cares for a large number of Medicare and Medicaid patients, and that they are not reimbursed for that care as well as they should be.
“Our focus will be to make sure that patients across this state, including anywhere there is a Steward center, have access to care, are protected, and that jobs are protected and the health care system is stable,” Healey said.
The company employs more than 16,000 nurses, doctors and other frontline essential healthcare workers in the state.
Video Below: Massachusetts Doctor Explains What Steward Health’s Troubles Mean for Patients