Warren, MA Delegation Request Briefing from Steward Health Care System on Financial Position, Threats of Hospital Closures

Letter

Dear Dr. de la Torre:
We write regarding recent reports indicating that Steward Health Care System (Steward) is in
grave financial distress.This comes in the wake of the announced closure of Steward's New
England Sinai Hospital, allegations that Steward St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Steward
Medical Group, and Steward Health Care System violated the False Claims Act, and reports that
Steward is unable to meet existing rent and loan repayment responsibilities.

Steward operates nine facilities in the Commonwealth: Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Good
Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Holy Family Hospital in Haverhill and Methuen, Morton
Hospital in Taunton, Nashoba Valley Medical Center, New England Sinai Hospital, Norwood
Hospital (currently closed and undergoing construction following a serious flood), Saint Anne's
Hospital in Fall River, and St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton, and the company employs
more than 16,000 nurses, doctors and other frontline, essential health care workers in
Massachusetts.

The abrupt closure of Steward's Massachusetts hospitals would significantly limit access to
inpatient critical care and inpatient behavioral health care, as well as maternal and newborn
health services in eastern Massachusetts. Since Steward's Good Samaritan Hospital is currently
the only acute care hospital in the Greater Brockton area, the availability of medical care for
residents in this area would be especially challenging as patients from that region are shifted to
other hospitals, many of which do not have the capacity to absorb a sustained surge in patient
volume. As you know, Steward hospitals are part of Massachusetts's network of safety net
hospitals, with a high mix of Medicaid and Medicare patients. In other words, the burden of Steward hospital closures would be borne primarily by the Massachusetts residents who already
experience the greatest challenges accessing health care.

We are encouraged that Steward officials are engaged in conversations with state officials.
However, residents, workers, regulators, and elected officials must have a seat at the table for
conversations about Steward's plans for the future to ensure continued access to high quality
medical care in their communities. Accordingly, we request a briefing on Steward's financial
position, the status of your Massachusetts facilities, and your plans to ensure the communities
Steward's hospitals serve are not abandoned.

Source