A third Dallas-based Steward Health Care hospital in Massachusetts could face closure as a potential owner has altered its bid, the Massachusetts Nursing Association said in an Aug. 12 news release.
"Until last week, all indications were there would also be a qualified bid and agreement with the state for the purchase and operation of both Holy Family Hospital in Methuen (Mass.) and Holy Family Hospital in Haverhill (Mass.), which are covered under a single license," the union, which represents 3,000 Steward nurses, said in the release. "On Friday, information surfaced that the bidder for those two facilities altered its bid to exclude Holy Family Haverhill, which would leave another community without a hospital."
The bidder has been identified by "several parties" as Lawrence General Hospital, radio station WHAV reported Aug. 10.
"I don't know what (the) LGH final bid included as the situation is very fluid, but I believe the Haverhill Campus of Holy Family is integral to the healthcare needs of the Merrimack Valley and should be included in LGH bid," state Sen. Barry Finegold told WHAV.
Steward, which sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy May 6, has already received approval to close Boston-based Carney Hospital and Ayer-based Nashoba Valley Medical Center by Aug. 31. The closures have been met with backlash by local and state lawmakers.
Steward and Lawrence General Hospital did not have a comment for Becker's regarding the potential closure.
Becker's has reached out to Mr. Finegold and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey's office and will update this story should more information become available.
News of the potential closure comes as the for-profit health system filed an Aug. 11 court filing, obtained by Becker's, to reschedule the sale hearings for many of its hospitals and its physician group, Stewardship Health.
The sale hearing for Stewardship Health and Steward's hospitals in Arkansas, Louisiana and Massachusetts that was scheduled for Aug. 13 has been moved to Aug. 16.
The sale hearing for its Arizona hospitals and "second-round hospitals," which include Steward's Florida hospitals and four Texas facilities — Odessa Regional Medical Center, Big Spring-based Scenic Mountain Medical Center, Port Arthur-based The Medical Center of Southeast Texas and Texarkana-based Wadley Regional Medical Center — has been moved to Sept. 10, with a bid deadline of Aug. 26 and sale objection deadline of Sept. 5, according to a second Aug. 11 court filing obtained by Becker's.
The Aug. 13 sale hearing for Steward's hospitals in Ohio and Pennsylvania and Houston-based St. Joseph's Medical Center has been moved to "a date to be determined."