“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.”
Boston (January 23, 2024) - Today, following a Boston Globe report indicating that Steward Health Care System (Steward) is in dire financial condition, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), William Keating (D-Mass.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) in pressing Steward to brief them on Steward’s financial position, the status of their Massachusetts facilities, and their plans to ensure the communities they serve are not abandoned.
“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,” said the lawmakers. “The burden of Steward hospital closures would be borne primarily by the Massachusetts residents who already experience the greatest challenges accessing health care.”
While the lawmakers are glad to see reporting that indicates Steward officials are engaging in ongoing discussion with state officials, the lawmakers noted, “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.”
Steward operates nine facilities in the Commonwealth and the company employs more than 16,000 nurses, doctors, and other frontline, essential health care workers in Massachusetts. Currently, Steward’s Good Samaritan Hospital is the only acute care hospital in the Greater Brockton area.
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