Steward Healthcare announced Friday that it will close two of its eight Massachusetts medical centers next month. The private, for-profit health care company said Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer will close on or about Aug. 31, after failing to secure qualified bids for the properties. Steward said it is “actively working to sell or convert all of its Massachusetts hospitals, and we are in active final negotiations to sell six of them.” “Despite an extensive sales process, which included close coordination with lenders and regulators, there were no qualified bids for two of the hospitals, Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center,” Steward said. Gov. Maura Haley has blamed the hospital closures on “greed and mismanagement.” “It’s not over,” Haley said. “It’s unfortunate that the greed and mismanagement of (Steward CEO) Ralph de la Torre and Steward led to the closure of Carney and Nashoba Valley hospitals. These hospitals have served their communities for so long — and their closure is about more than just losing beds, doctors and nurses.” The union called the move “devastating.” “Steward Healthcare’s decision to close Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center is devastating, creating hospital deserts and increasing health inequities in the communities they serve,” the union, 1199SEIU, said in a statement. “Patients across Massachusetts will now pay the ultimate price for Steward’s mismanagement if care is paid for miles away and emergency room capacity reaches crisis levels. The future of care in Massachusetts is at stake.” Steward said she will work with both patients and staff affected by the closures. “We will work closely with our patients at Carney and Nashoba to help them find the best possible alternative for care and with our valued staff and health care professionals to help with this very difficult transition,” Steward said. Steward Healthcare filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 6. Haley said earlier this week that the company was looking to sell all of its hospitals and had received “qualified bids” for some facilities in Massachusetts. Steward said it was receiving bids for its other Massachusetts hospitals, including Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Morton Hospital in Taunton, St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton and Holy Family Hospital with campuses in Methuen and Haverhill. “These hospitals are essential to these communities,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren. “He’s done enough damage to this state.” “As for the remaining hospitals, we know that Steward has received multiple offers to not only preserve but improve five of its hospitals in three key regions. It’s time for Steward and its real estate partners to put the communities they serve above their selfish greed. They need to make these deals that are in their best interests and the best interests of patients and staff,” Haley said. Haley’s office said Carney and Nashoba hospitals remained open Friday and will be closed “in an orderly and orderly manner.” “Our first priority should be patients,” Warren said. “The callousness shown to the health and well-being of the people of Massachusetts is nothing short of astonishing,” said Sen. Ed Markey. “Steward Healthcare has deliberately bought up safety net hospitals that communities rely on and run them to death in an effort to extract maximum profits.” Haley’s office said a bankruptcy judge will have to approve Steward’s proposal to close the hospital, after which Steward will be required to send a notice of closure to the Department of Public Health, facilitating the transition of affected patients and staff. “There is still a process that Steward Healthcare must follow that has been set forth by the bankruptcy court and the law,” Markey said. “To date, Steward has ignored transparency requirements and its commitment to serving its patients.” On Thursday, a bipartisan group of senators voted to launch an investigation into Steward. As part of that, they issued a subpoena for De La Torre to testify before a Senate committee in September. Video: ‘Infuriating’: Sen. Warren reacts to hospital closures in Steward, Massachusetts.
Financially struggling Steward Healthcare announced Friday that it will close two of its eight Massachusetts medical centers next month.
The private, for-profit health care company said Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayr will close on or about Aug. 31, after it was unable to secure qualified bids on the properties.
Steward said the company is “actively working to sell or convert all of its Massachusetts hospitals, and we are in active final negotiations to sell six of them.”
“Despite an extensive sales process, which included close coordination with lenders and regulators, there were no qualified bids for two hospitals, Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center,” Steward said.
Governor Maura Healey blamed the closures on “greed and mismanagement.”
“This problem is not over. It is unfortunate that the greed and mismanagement of (Steward CEO) Ralph de la Torre and Steward led to the closure of Carney and Nashoba Valley hospitals. These hospitals have served their communities for a long time — and their closure is not just about losing beds, doctors and nurses,” Haley said.
The union described the move as “destructive”.
“Steward Healthcare’s decision to close Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center is devastating, creating hospital deserts and exacerbating health inequities in the communities they serve. Patients across Massachusetts will now pay the price for Steward’s mismanagement if care is pushed miles away and emergency room capacity reaches crisis levels. The future of healthcare in Massachusetts is at risk,” 1199SEIU said in a statement.
Steward said the company will work with patients and employees affected by the closures.
“We will work closely with our patients at Carney and Nashoba to help them find the best possible alternative for care and with our valued staff and healthcare professionals to assist with this very difficult transition,” Steward said.
Steward Healthcare filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 6. The company had been looking to sell all of its hospitals and had received “qualified bids” for some facilities in Massachusetts, Healey said earlier this week.
Steward said he is receiving offers for his other hospitals in Massachusetts, including Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Morton Hospital in Taunton, St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton, and Holy Family Hospital with campuses in Methuen and Haverhill.
“These hospitals are essential to these communities,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren. “He’s done enough damage in this state.”
“For the remaining hospitals, we know that Steward has received multiple offers to not only keep five of its hospitals but also improve them in three key areas. It is time for Steward and its real estate partners to put the communities they serve above their selfish greed. They need to make these deals that are in the best interest of them, their patients and their staff,” Haley said.
Haley’s office said the Carney and Nashoba centers remained open Friday and will be closed “in an orderly and orderly manner.”
“Our first priority must be the patients,” Warren said.
“The callousness shown to the health and well-being of the people of Massachusetts is nothing short of astonishing,” said Senator Ed Markey. “Steward Health Care has deliberately bought up safety net hospitals that communities rely on and run them to the limit in an effort to extract maximum profits.”
A bankruptcy judge will have to approve Steward’s motion to close, after which Steward will be required to send a notice of closure to the Department of Public Health, facilitating the transition for affected patients and employees, according to Healey’s office.
“There is still a process that Steward Healthcare must follow that is set forth by the bankruptcy court and the law,” Markey said. “To date, Steward has ignored transparency requirements and its commitment to serving its patients.”
On Thursday, a bipartisan group of senators voted to launch an investigation into Steward. As part of that, they issued a subpoena for De La Torre to testify before a Senate committee in September.
Video: ‘Terrible’: Sen. Warren responds to closure of two Steward hospitals in Massachusetts.
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