State seizes St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center to keep needed services

BOSTON (WWLP) – The state has taken control of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center after deciding the facility’s closing would create a public health emergency.

According to Governor Maura Healey’s office, the governor made the decision to seize the facility through eminent domain. The state will take control of operations until Boston Medical Center, the new medical services provider, takes over.

Healey said it is necessary that St. Elizabeth’s remain open as it provides critical care including emergency services, maternity care, behavioral health services and inpatient care.

“While Apollo continues to put its greed ahead of the health and wellbeing of the people of Massachusetts, we are taking action to make sure St. Elizabeth’s remains open. By transferring operations to Boston Medical Center, we will protect access to care for tens of thousands of patients and save thousands of jobs,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Our administration is committed to ensuring smooth transitions at the five Steward hospitals that we were able to save, and supporting the communities impacted by Steward’s closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center and Carney Hospital.”

So far, five of the seven Steward hospitals will have new operators beginning October 1: Lawrence General Hospital for both campuses of Holy Family in Haverhill and Methuen, Lifespan will assume operations of Morton and Saint Anne’s, and BMC will take over Good Samaritan.

The state has created two working groups focused on stabilizing and revitalizing health care in communities impacted by Steward Health Care’s closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer and Carney Hospital in Dorchester.

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