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HAVERHILL, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Mass General Brigham pulled all of its doctors from Holy Family Hospital in Haverhill and Methuen Friday.
The two medical facilities are operated by Steward Health Care, a for-profit health care network facing a significant financial crisis. Steward reportedly owes $50 million in rent to its landlord, Medical Properties Trust.
"Mass General Brigham has a small number of physicians who currently perform surgeries and procedures for some patients at Holy Family Hospital. After hearing that certain surgical equipment may not be available, we made the decision to reschedule upcoming orthopedic and GI procedures at Holy Family Hospital," Tom Sequist, Mass General Brigham's chief medical officer, said in a statement. "We have contacted impacted patients, and we are working to reschedule their procedures as soon as possible at a nearby Mass General Brigham or community hospital location. We do not have specific knowledge of safety concerns at Holy Family, and we are working through this situation as it evolves so that we are in a position to best serve our patients."
According to lawmakers, Steward plans to "urgently" sell four of the nine hospitals it operates in Massachusetts: Holy Family Hospital, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton, Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer, and Norwood Hospital.
The remaining five health facilities—Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Morton Hospital in Brockton, New England Sinai Hospital in Stoughton, and St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River—will later be sold off or transferred, lawmakers said.
Rep. Stephen Lynch told WBZ NewsRadio Friday that while the state injected millions of dollars into Steward over the past few years, news of their financial struggles still comes as a shock.
In response, a spokesperson for Steward Health said in a statement the decision by MGH highlights the fact Steward hospitals are not getting the support they need.
"We deeply regret Mass General Brigham’s decision to no longer conduct surgeries at Holy Family Hospital, a facility that serves a vulnerable patient population in their community, who need and deserve quality health care close to home," the statement reads. "This decision will only further exacerbate the serious health equity issues already existing within the local community."
Steward Health Care said physicians from MGB will remain as on-call providers.
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