Residents in Ayer, Massachusetts, are raising a red flag over the potential closure of its local hospital. It’s one of two that Steward Health Care is shutting down in the next month.
Lawmakers and nurses will gather in Ayer, Massachusetts, Tuesday morning to oppose the closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center and to call on Gov. Maura Healey to enforce the state's law that requires 120 days’ notice before closing a medical facility.
A similar rally was held in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood Monday.
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Boston's Mayor Michelle Wu joined city, state and local lawmakers, the Massachusetts Nurses Association and employees of Carney Hospital to protest its closure Monday morning.
In fact, two Boston city councilors authored a resolution to urge the city's Public Health Commission to declare a state of emergency and seize Carney Hospital's Dorchester property to keep the facility open.
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This comes as Steward Health Care has asked the bankruptcy court to push back Wednesday’s hearing over the sales of its six other Massachusetts hospitals by two weeks.
Steward said the lease terms and state financial commitment of $30 million are still being finalized.
Wu said while the fight to keep the remaining two hospitals open continues, their options are limited.
"The challenge is that when it's a private for-profit entity that's not subject to the same kind of regulations, when there are processes that they have legally gone through to get to this point, the options are very narrowed," said Wu.
The rally to save Nashoba Valley Medical Center will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Ayer Town Hall.
