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What should I do if Steward is closing my hospital?
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It was a gorgeous weekend in Boston, but today, you’ll probably want to make sure you’ve got an umbrella on hand (or a puddle-proof pair of shoes, at least).
Let’s get to the news:
Closing hospital doors: Steward Health Care’s plan to shutter some of its hospitals is officially underway. In a statement released Friday, Steward — the bankrupt, for-profit hospital chain that ran eight hospitals across the state — announced it would close Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer after being unable to find “qualified” buyers. Both facilities are expected to close their doors “on or around Aug. 31.” If you’re a patient, here’s what to know:
- What happens next? Steward still has to send a notice of closure to the Department of Public Health, and get a bankruptcy judge to approve a motion to close the hospitals, according to a statement from Gov. Maura Healey’s office. The state usually recommends a transition period of 120 days, but Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh says the state can’t force Steward to keep the hospitals open past the 30-60 days it predicts will be needed to close the facilities permanently. It’s not yet clear what the transition-to-closure process will look like for patients (though many are simply leaving to seek care elsewhere).
- What should I do if Steward closes my hospital? Now’s the time to pick up the phone, and start the referral and medical record transfer process with your health care provider, Healey’s office recommends. To help, DPH put together an interactive dashboard showing all the hospitals within 30 minutes of a patient’s location and what services they provide. Walsh says the state will also try to boost access to urgent care clinics, so patients like those in Ayer won’t be stuck driving long distances during a health emergency.
- What’s next: U.S. reps Ayanna Pressley and Stephen F. Lynch, Sen. Ed Markey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will host a press conference at Carney Hospital today at 10:30 a.m. to discuss Steward’s hospital closure plans. Meanwhile, Steward says it’s received credible bids for five of its other local hospitals: Morton Hospital, Saint Elizabeth’s, Saint Anne’s, Good Samaritan and Holy Family. However, Steward does not own the buildings or land for its hospitals, and the firms that do have not yet agreed to the deal.
The MBTA’s new Charlie Service Center is open for business as of today. The T hopes the new physical location — which will replace the CharlieCard Store previously located in Downtown Crossing — will help improve riders’ experiences on the T and provide in-person payment support.
- When to go: The Charlie Service Center offers a number of services, like replacing a damaged or expired CharlieCard, purchasing a new pass, or processing a name change on your Senior CharlieCard, TAP or Blind Access Pass. People who use RIDE services can also visit the center to make cash deposits toward their account. (They’ll also offer in-person support for riders who pay reduced fares once tap-to-pay rolls out later this week.)
- Where to go: If you’re looking for the Charlie Service Center above ground, you can find it between Milk Street and Water Street. From underground, the closest stations to the center are State and Downtown Crossing. It will be open from Tuesday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Mondays are appointment only from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.)
Looking for an Olympics watch party? Drawdown Brewing in Jamaica Plain wants to be “your home for the summer Olympics.” Owner Liz Nicol told WBUR’s Amy Sokolow the bar will screen games and hold Olympics-themed trivia events throughout the Summer Games. The queer bar is known for highlighting women’s sports throughout the year.
- What to watch today: Team USA’s women’s basketball team has remained undefeated since 1992. They’ll be playing against Japan Monday at 3 p.m. in pursuit of their eighth straight gold medal, with a stacked roster that includes WNBA stars A’ja Wilson and Brittney Griner.
- ICYMI: Massachusetts is showing out at the Olympics this year. Here are 20 local athletes competing in Paris to watch.
P.S. — If you’re like me and can’t get enough of the Olympics, dive into the history of Olympic swimming with Todd Balf’s book, “Three Kings.” It tells the story of three swimmers who met 100 years ago at the 1924 Paris Olympics, overcoming hardships on the way to sporting success. Listen to Here & Now’s Deepa Fernandes chat with Balf about the book here.
