Steward Health Care is set to close two Massachusetts hospitals, resulting in more than 1,000 employees losing their jobs by the end of August. Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer are the facilities affected. The closures are due to Steward’s bankruptcy, which was approved by a federal judge last week. Patients are being asked to file proofs of claim by August 23, as the hospitals wind down operations. Despite calls from officials and residents to keep the hospitals open, Steward has the legal authority to close them.
Governor Maura Healey is pressing Steward to follow state regulations requiring a 120-day notice before closing healthcare facilities. The hospitals did not receive qualified bids for purchase during an auction in July, unlike Steward’s other operational hospitals. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has demanded that Carney Hospital’s property be used only for healthcare purposes in the future, threatening retribution if it is redeveloped for other uses.
The closures of Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center are a blow to the affected employees, patients, and the community. Steward’s bankruptcy proceedings have left many questioning the future of healthcare in Massachusetts. Governor Healey and Mayor Wu are working to ensure a smooth transition for the two hospitals and hold Steward accountable for its closure decisions.
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