Inpatient care and emergency department services at Brockton (Mass.) Hospital are not expected to fully reopen until 2024, months later than officials first anticipated, according to an Aug. 6 report from The Enterprise.
A 10-alarm transformer fire prompted Brockton Hospital to evacuate 176 patients Feb. 7. Signature Healthcare, which owns the hospital, in February said it expected the inpatient unit to remain closed for three months after the fire.
Supply chain issues, particularly around items including electrical panels and breakers, have delayed plans to fully reopen. Supply chain challenges make it difficult to place a firm estimate on when full service operations will reopen, Brian Backoff, director of facilities and engineering at Signature Healthcare, told the news outlet. Officials anticipate it will be sometime in 2024 but don't yet have a particular month.
On Aug. 15, the hospital aims to resume wound care and infusion therapy services. In September, it hopes to offer outpatient surgeries and colonoscopies. In the meantime, Good Samaritan Medical Center, also based in Brockton, will likely continue operating under additional strain as emergency department patients and those requiring inpatient care are directed there.
Signature Healthcare opened two urgent care centers to help ensure continued care access after the fire earlier this year.