An announcement Friday that preliminary offers had been reached handy over management of 4 Massachusetts hospitals run by Steward Health Care to new, largely native house owners was met with reduction from residents, unions, elected officers, and trade associations throughout the state.
Gov. Maura Healey mentioned tentative agreements had been in place to transition Saint Anne’s in Fall River, Good Samaritan Medical Middle in Brockton, the Holy Household Hospital campuses in Methuen and Haverhill, and Morton Hospital in Taunton away from the bankrupt well being care group.
U.S. Sen. Ed Markey mentioned the offers to promote the 4 hospitals to new house owners and a separate state seizure of St. Elizabeth’s in Brighton had been a “major step forward in getting Steward out of Massachusetts.”
“This is no thanks to Steward, Medical Properties Trust, Macquarie, and their private equity enablers who repeatedly decided that their profits were more important than the lives and livelihoods they stole,” Markey mentioned in a press release.
Massachusetts Hospital Affiliation President and CEO Steve Walsh mentioned his trade group is “encouraged” to see “trusted” well being techniques are on observe to take over Steward’s hospitals in Massachusetts.
“In turn, we are hopeful that this process will help alleviate the pressures being felt by other healthcare facilities and give Massachusetts a unique opportunity to create an even more responsive system of the future,” Walsh mentioned in a press release.
Native elected officers in Haverhill and Methuen mentioned their constituents “deserve access” to high-quality well being care like the remainder of the state.
Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett, Reps. Andy Vargas of Haverhill and Ryan Hamilton of Methuen, and Sens. Barry Finegold of Andover and Pavel Payano of Lawrence mentioned Lawrence Normal Hospital, which plans to take over the Holy Household Hospital campuses, is a “long-standing partner in the region.”
“Their willingness to take over operations is an important step forward in ensuring a long-term plan for Holy Family,” the group mentioned in a press release. “From the beginning of this disheartening process, we have been clear that both Holy Family Methuen and Holy Family Haverhill play critical roles in the delivery of essential healthcare to our communities.”
Again in Brighton, Metropolis Councilor Liz Breadon mentioned Healey’s plan to forcibly buy St. Elizabeth’s Medical Middle for $4.5 million from an asset administration agency was “the only way to facilitate the transition” to its tentative future proprietor, Boston Medical Middle.
Breadon mentioned the Allston-Brighton neighborhood is determined by the well being care providers provided on the hospital.
“The hospital’s current landlord had proven itself unwilling to operate in good faith in selling the facility to one of the qualified bidders willing to take over St. Elizabeth’s. As such, the only path forward was for the state to step in and seize the hospital by eminent domain in order to facilitate the transfer and keep the hospital open,” Breadon mentioned in a press release.
Apollo International Administration, the agency in possession of the ability, declined to touch upon the deliberate seizure of the Brighton hospital.
1199SEIU Govt Vice President Tim Foley, who helps lead a well being care union, mentioned the deliberate seizure is “the exact kind of aggressive action that health workers of 1199SEIU have been demanding from our state leaders.”
“Steward’s hospitals are essential to Massachusetts’ healthcare system, and this bold step will keep them open to serve our patients despite the outrageous financial brinksmanship of Apollo Global Management, Medical Properties Trust, and Steward Health Care,” he mentioned.
However whilst many celebrated the obvious rescue plan for 4 hospitals, others lamented the closure of Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Middle. Healey mentioned no consumers stepped as much as buy the amenities.
Boston Metropolis Councilor Ed Flynn mentioned Healey’s choice to take management of St. Elizabeth’s was “bold and divisive leadership.”
“I am once again calling on Mayor Wu to provide similar courageous and compassionate leadership for the Carney Hospital as well. The Carney Hospital can be saved if we have the determination and will to fight for it,” he mentioned in a press release.
Sen. Nick Collins, a South Boston Democrat, mentioned the offers on the opposite 4 hospitals verify each the state “and the city” have the authority and assets to save lots of neighborhood hospitals.
“State and city health officials should now come together to take the same type of bold action to save Carney Hospital,” Collins mentioned in a press release.
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