Disclaimer
The Department of Public Health (DPH) is committed to achieving meaningful accessibility to this online environment for all users, including users with disabilities. We recognize that this version the Essential Service Closure Documentation may not work for all users. If you are a user with visual impairments who needs alternative access to the documents, please contact the Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality at (617) 624-0508 or by email at DPH.BHCSQ@state.ma.us.
Essential service closure process overview
An “essential service” is a service defined in the Hospital Licensure regulation at 105 CMR 130.020 that a Massachusetts hospital is licensed to provide. When a hospital decides to discontinue services within their facility or satellite campuses, there are several requirements that it must fulfill before it can complete the closure. This process is outlined in the Hospital Licensure regulations at 105 CMR 130.122.
The essential service closure process provides a mechanism for DPH to review a proposed closure or reduction in services and to ensure that measures have been put in place to minimize the impact on the community and address concerns that have been brought to DPH’s attention. However, DPH cannot legally require a hospital to keep a service open.
- First, at least 120 days before the proposed closure date, the hospital must notify DPH of its intent to submit formal notification about the intended discontinuation of services. The hospital must also notify those impacted by the service closure, including the hospital’s patient and family council, hospital staff, labor organizations representing the hospital’s workforce, and local and state elected officials.
- The hospital must then submit a formal 90-day notice of the closure to DPH, which must be provided at least 90 calendar days before the proposed closure date.
- DPH is required to hold a public hearing on the proposed closure of an essential service at least 60 days prior to the proposed closure date and publish a notice of a public hearing in the legal notice section of local newspaper(s) at least 21 calendar days prior to the date of the hearing. The public hearing provides interested parties the opportunity to share comments and concerns with DPH about the proposed closure.
- Following the hearing, DPH will provide the hospital with a determination within 15 days as to whether the service provided by the hospital is necessary for preserving access and health status within the hospital’s service area.
- If DPH finds the service to be necessary, the hospital is required to submit a plan for assuring access to DPH within 15 days of the finding.
- DPH will review this plan and if more information is needed, send the hospital written comments within 10 day of receiving the plan. The hospital must then submit a response to any comments by DPH within 10 days. This concludes the essential service closure process, and the hospital may continue with the proposed closure at this time.
Pending and recent hospital essential service closures
2024
New England Sinai Hospital
Public Hearing: January 31, 2024
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
Saint Anne’s Hospital – Geriatric Psychiatric Unit at New England Sinai Hospital
Public Hearing: February 01, 2024
2023
Baystate Medical Center
Public Hearing: August 9, 2023
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response to DPH comments (PDF) | (DOCX)
Baystate Noble Hospital - Inpatient Psych Services and Partial Hospitalization Program
Public Hearing: August 24, 2023
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
Baystate Wing Hospital
Public Hearing: August 3, 2023
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to assure access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response to DPH Comments (PDF) | (DOCX)
Emerson Hospital - Emerson Rehabilitation and Transitional Care Unit
Public Hearing: June 6, 2023
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
Heywood Hospital
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
Steward Health Care System LLC - Morton Hospital
Public Hearing: May 18, 2023
- Relocation of Morton Hospital's Comprehensive Addiction Program (MORCAP) (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Updated 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response to DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Review of Response Following Essential Services Access Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response to the Department’s Comments on Hospital’s Response to Essential Services Access Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
UMass Memorial HealthAlliance - Clinton Hospital
Public Hearing: July 24, 2023
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response to DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
2022
Beverly Hospital
Public Hearing: July 20, 2022, 6pm
Vittori Rocci Post
143 Brimbal Avenue, Beverly
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Beverly Hospital Letter to EHS (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Response Letter to Beverly Hospital (DOCX)
- 30-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response to DPH Comments (PDF) | (DOCX)
MetroWest Medical Center
Public Hearing: July 6, 2022
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) l (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) l (DOCX)
- DPH Determination of Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to assure access (PDF) l (DOCX)
- DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response to DPH Comments (PDF) | (DOCX)
Norwood Hospital
Public Hearing: February 15, 2022
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination of Essential Services
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Comments on Facility Plans (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response to DPH Comments (PDF) | (DOCX)
Shriners Hospital for Children – Springfield
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination of Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Response on DPH Comments on Facility Plan (DOCX)
St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
Tufts Medical Center
Public Hearing: April 28, 2022
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination of Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response on DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
2021
Anna Jaques Hospital
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOC)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOC)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOC)
- Facility Plan to assure access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility response to DPH comments (PDF) | (DOCX)
Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center
Public Hearing: April 1, 2021
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services:
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to assure access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Response to DPH comments (PDF) | (DOCX)
Steward Good Samaritan Medical Center – Norcap Lodge
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOC)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOC)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOC)
- Facility Plan to Assure Access (PDF) | (DOC)
- DPH comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOC)
- Facility Response to DPH Comments on Facility Plan (PDF) | (DOC)
2020
Cambridge Health Alliance – Somerville Hospital SEF
Public Hearing: January 30, 2020
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- DPH Determination on Essential Service
- Facility Plan to assure access
- DPH comments on Facility Plan
- Facility Response to DPH comments
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of New England
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital
Public Hearing: October 8, 2020
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
Falmouth Hospital – Inpatient Pediatric Service
Public Hearing: May 28, 2020
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- DPH Determination on Essential Service
- Facility Plan to assure access
- DPH comments on Facility Plan
- Facility Response to DPH Comments
Holyoke Medical Center – Inpatient Obstetrics Services and Well Infant Nursery
Public Hearing: July 28, 2020
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- DPH Determination on Essential Service
- Facility Plan to assure access
- DPH Comments on Facility Plan
Lowell General Hospital – Saints Campus ICU and Operating Rooms
Public Hearing: February 26, 2020
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- DPH Determination on Essential Service
Mercy Hospital, Inc. – Providence Behavioral Hospital
Public Hearing: April 30, 2020
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- DPH Determination on Essential Service
- Facility Plan to assure access
- DPH comments on Facility Plan
- Facility Response to DPH comments
MetroWest Medical Center – Framingham Union Hospital Inpatient Pediatric Service
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- DPH Determination on Essential Service | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to assure access
- DPH comments on Facility Plan | (DOCX)
MetroWest Medical Center – Leonard Morse Natick Campus
Previous filings before the hospital decided to temporarily suspend the closure process.
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (halted process)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (halted process)
Hospital has restarted the closure process.
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (restarted process)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (restarted process)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to assure access
- DPH comments on Facility Plan
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-Day Notice of Intent to Discontinue Services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
Shriners Hospitals for Children – Boston
Public Hearing: July 30, 2020
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield
- 120-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- 90-day notice of intent to discontinue services (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH Determination on Essential Service (PDF) | (DOCX)
- Facility Plan to assure access (PDF) | (DOCX)
- DPH comments on Facility Plan | (DOCX)
Steward Satellite Emergency Facility – Quincy
Public Hearing: September 1, 2020