BROCKTON, Mass. — Steward Healthcare says it has secured funding to keep its Massachusetts hospitals open, at least for the time being, but concerns remain in Brockton. One hospital is temporarily closed and the other is owned by a struggling Texas-based medical chain. .
Good Samaritan Medical Center is among nine Massachusetts hospitals that Steward was considering selling because it was $50 million behind in rent, Rep. Stephen Lynch told Boston 25 News last week. It is said to be one of the
Steward blames pandemic challenges and inequitable reimbursement rates in Medicare and Medicaid services, which account for 70% of patients.
“To be clear, there are no plans at this time to close any hospitals in Massachusetts,” Karam wrote, adding that the first phase of financing is “imminent” and that the deal would bring the for-profit hospital chain He added that it would give time for potential. Transfer of ownership of one or more hospitals.
But in an internal letter Friday, Steward Executive Vice President Michael Cullum told colleagues that the health system had agreed to “significant financial transactions to stabilize our company.”
“We are very pleased with the news we heard today that the facility will continue to operate. We are cautiously optimistic that it will continue to operate,” said Brockton City Councilman Phil Griffin. Ta. “But once Brockton Hospital is back up and running at 100 percent, I’m going to feel a lot better.”
Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital has been closed since a February 2023 fire destroyed the building. The hospital is scheduled to reopen this summer after supply chain issues have delayed rebuilding.
Emergency rooms across the state have been full for years, and Brockton is no exception. Officials say it would be difficult to cover the area with just one hospital, and waiting times would only increase. Griffin said the possibility of losing another hospital or having its operations disrupted would be devastating.
“I've heard of wait times of 10 to 12 hours, depending on the level of triage,” Griffin said. “if [Good Samaritan] Closing them would only put more strain on other hospitals in the area. ”
Katie Murphy, president of the Massachusetts Nursing Association, said the loss of Norwood Hospital, about 32 miles from Brockton, due to unprecedented flooding in 2020 is an additional challenge for an already overwhelmed health care system. He added that there is.
“Even ambulances are in short supply,” Murphy said. “When they're transporting a patient out of the area, the ambulance might be driving 30 miles away, so they're not part of the community. I think you're thinking about it.”
While Murphy is relieved by Steward's latest financial announcement, he remains concerned about the future of all of its hospitals. She says if there is a change in ownership in the future, the transition should be seamless, especially for patients who rely on critical health care in the community.
“We really need to look to the future to make sure that our community hospitals in Boston, upstate and Brockton are well-secured, because these are really some of the most vulnerable populations. ,” Murphy said. ”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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