Protesters want Massachusetts governor to save 2 Steward hospitals days before they close
BOSTON - A rally was held at the Massachusetts State House Wednesday to try and save two Steward Health Care hospitals from closing this weekend.
"Very simply, people will die"
The two hospitals, Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer, are set to close Saturday, Aug. 31.
"Very simply, people will die," said one protester who joined nurses, doctors, community members, public officials and others at the rally.
"In Nashoba, it's going to be a half hour drive that they're going to have to take to get to an emergency room and that's not acceptable," said Lyn Newkirk, a volunteer with Mass-Care, a group campaigning for single payer health care in the state.
The hospitals' closures were announced in late July after their owner, Steward Health Care, filed for bankruptcy. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey vowed to save five of Steward's other Massachusetts hospitals, with her administration even approving additional funds to keep the hospitals open into September while purchasing agreements are finalized. Protesters said they're angry the same energy isn't being given to communities they believe need it the most.
Time running out
"Healey's administration did an analysis of the 10 communities that needed to be protected and two of them were Ayer and Dorchester and those are the two communities that they're going to shut down and that's not right," said Newkirk.
"It's really serving very needy communities and we need to step up, we need to step up and take care of people," said retired health care professional Bruce Fliescher.
For patients like Bonnie Gormen of Quincy, it's a familiar feeling. Since Steward closed Quincy Medical Center a few years ago, she said it's been harder to get the care she needs.
"We have nothing and in fact, we are told to go to Carney Hospital," said Gormen.
Protesters are asking Healey to approve emergency funds to keep the hospitals open while they wait for a potential buyer.
