Note:
For closure information (Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center), visit Resources for Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center.
For the rest of the Steward Health Care facilities in Massachusetts, visit Transition to the New Operators.
Patient and community information
1. What does the closing of a hospital mean for patients of these facilities?
Steward Health Care announced its plans to close Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer in late July, and both hospitals closed August 31, 2024. When Steward alerted the Massachusetts Department of Public Health of its intentions, that triggered a closure process designed to help patients and communities identify and understand where and how they can continue accessing essential care and services. Commonwealth officials had been working – and continue to work – closely with neighboring hospitals and surrounding community health centers to support a smooth and orderly transition for patients and employees affected by these closures.
Steward’s remaining six hospitals in the Commonwealth. are transferring to new operators and will continue to serve patients and local communities in eastern Massachusetts.
2. Will this situation impact my ability to receive medical services?
If you have received care at Carney Hospital or Nashoba Valley Medical Center you will need to transfer your medical services to another facility. It is recommended that you contact your provider’s office to discuss transition plans. You may also need to contact your insurance provider.
3. I have an upcoming appointment or procedure at Carney Hospital or Nashoba Valley Medical Center – What should I do?
You should have heard from the hospital or from your provider about any cancellation or changes in appointments. Patients can contact Steward Patient Assistance Line at 617-789-2228 for assistance. For questions about patients medical records from Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center, please visit Steward webpages:
4. What if I need emergency care? Where should I go for emergency medical care now that my local hospital has closed?
The emergency departments at Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center have closed. . If may be helpful to visit Health care capacity interactive dashboard | mass.gov to find emergency departments and hospitals are within a 30-minute drive from Carney and Nashoba Valley.
In addition, EDs across the state continue to be very busy, and long waits are common. Patients experiencing illness or injuries who do not require the level of care provided in the ED, should consider going to an urgent care center or other retail clinic. An interactive urgent care center map showing locations of and information about urgent care centers and retail clinics across the state may be helpful in identifying convenient places to get care for non-emergent needs.
5. What will happen to my prescriptions and medical management when my hospital closes?
Prescriptions come from physicians or other health care providers. You should be able to continue any prescriptions by contacting your provider’s office and getting your medications through your usual pharmacy. If your physician or provider is no longer available to you, you should receive advance notification and additional information about how to transition to another provider who can prescribe the needed medications.
6. Will I still be able to access my patient records when my hospital closes?
Yes. If you need your hospital medical record, you can access it through the Steward Health Care patient portal called StewardCONNECT at www.stewardconnect.org.
The portal brings together patient, hospital, and outpatient practice information. If you have never used StewardCONNECT, you will need to create a portal account. If you have already signed up for StewardCONNECT through a Steward Medical Group outpatient practice, you do not need to sign up again to receive your hospital information in your portal. Simply log-in.
If you need your hospital medical records and do not have a StewardCONNECT account, the simplest method is to search the name of hospital followed by medical record request. Or you can call (610)-994-7500 to reach the facility. Hospital records may be destroyed 30 years after the discharge of a patient or the final treatment of a patient.
If you need medical records from your Steward Medical Group practice, use the link www.stewardmedicalgroup.org/medical-records. Practice records may be destroyed after seven years.
7. How is the Commonwealth working with insurance carriers to support patients who may have issues with coverage when switching to new providers?
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services is working with the Division of Insurance and insurance carriers to help make transitions as smooth as possible and provide information and support to help people maintain access to covered services. Health insurance carriers have a responsibility to offer an adequate provider network for members to access medically necessary care. Additionally, the Commonwealth is working with the Division of Insurance on ways to help maintain coverage for residents with commercial insurance and MassHealth for Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program).
If you need to switch to new providers, you might want to contact your primary or specialty care provider and ask that you be referred to a new provider who takes your insurance. If your provider cannot provide this information, you may want to search your health plan's provider directory to find clinicians who accept your insurance before setting up an appointment.
8. Are there any community support services available to help with transportation to alternative healthcare facilities, if needed?
Transportation services may be available to help you get to medical appointments in Massachusetts. Visit health care transportation to learn more about non-emergency transportation for MassHealth members, long-distance medical shuttles, and other transportation services. You may find helpful information about transportation at the following sites:
- A non-emergency medical transportation program is available for MassHealth members.
- You can get a list of the various non-emergency medical transportation options at Health Care Transportation.
- The RIDE program is available in some communities for people who have temporary or permanent disabilities. You can get information about this service on MBTA's The Ride.
9. Should I continue to get my healthcare at a Steward hospital or should I transfer my care somewhere else? Will I have to switch doctors? I’m supposed to have a baby at ________ Hospital in a few months – do I need to find another place to deliver?
Patients can contact Steward Patient Assistance Line at 617-789-2228 for assistance.
10. How do I go about transferring my care to other doctors at other hospitals? How can I ensure my new provider has language assistance should my hospital close or I need to change providers?
You can contact your insurance provider at any time to help identify an alternative provider who meets your needs. It is important to note that all hospitals are required to provide language services. You will also need to contact your current provider to transfer your records.
11. How will this situation affect my ongoing therapy or behavioral health program?
If you are seeing a particular psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, social worker, or other behavioral health provider, you may be able to continue seeing this person as long as the person remains in practice and depending on your insurance coverage. You should contact the provider’s office for more information.
12. I’m worried about the quality of care at the Steward facilities as they are going through this transition. Is it safe to go there?
Massachusetts Department of Public Health continues to have monitors in place at each open Steward location to assess the quality of care as well as to see that the necessary supplies, equipment, staffing, and processes are in place and available. This monitoring will continue throughout the transition period and as long as deemed necessary to be able to affirm to the public that the facilities are safe and continue to meet state and federal standards for care.
If you have concerns about care or services at any hospital, you can report them to the Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality. Instructions and forms to file complaints are available on File a Complaint Regarding a Hospital | mass.gov.
13. Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
Please contact your provider directly for any questions about your care. Visit Steward Health Care Resources or call the call center that has been available since early to to respond to questions and concerns about Steward and the issues associated with the transition of the hospitals. The call center number is (617) 468-2189 (local) and (833) 305-2070 (toll-free). The call center is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. eastern time (excluding Massachusetts holidays). Patients can contact Steward Patient Assistance Line at 617-789-2228 for assistance.
Contact for Steward Health Care patient and community FAQs
Phone
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. E.T. (excluding Massachusetts holidays)
| Date published: | August 23, 2024 |
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