Connecticut's office of health strategy has rejected Johnson Memorial Hospital's proposal to close its labor and delivery unit, arguing that it would adversely affect the less wealthy, reduce access to care and not save patients money, CT Insider reported Jan. 18.
Stafford-based Johnson Memorial did not demonstrate that closing the labor and delivery unit would improve access and cost effectiveness of care delivery in the region — particularly for Medicaid recipients and indigent persons — since it was offering lower costs compared to other hospitals, according to the office of health strategy.
State officials also said that closing the hospital's birthing unit would force patients in the area to drive further distances to other hospitals in the state.
More than 75% of the hospital's maternity patients come from five towns — Enfield, Somers, Stafford, Union and Windsor Lock — with the closest hospitals to Johnson Memorial taking between 30 minutes and 51 minutes to drive to, according to the report.
Trinity Health of New England, which operates Johnson Memorial, was in violation of state law after closing its maternity unit without state approval.
Johnson Memorial argued that the unit should shutter permanently due to lack of demand, staff shortages and a surplus of beds at other hospitals in the state, according to CT Insider. It also claimed that the shutdown was only temporary when services stopped for the second and final time in October 2020 without state approval.
A spoksperson for Trinity Health of New England told Becker's that the system is "disappointed" in the state's decision to deny its certificate-of-need application regarding the elimination of Johnson Memorial's labor and delivery services.
"This decision comes after Johnson officials fully participated in a lengthy and detailed information gathering process and a public hearing on the matter," athe system said in a statement. "We are currently deliberating our next steps regarding the [certificate-of-need] denial. We are committed to continuing to work with state officials to resolve this issue and further our common goal of providing safe, high-quality care to the greater Stafford community."
Last month, Windham Hospital, part of Hartford HealthCare, received state approval to end its labor and delivery services after a three-year process. Sharon Hospital also has a pending application to close its labor and delivery unit.