Gov. Maura Healey to take over St. Elizabeth’s through eminent domain

BOSTON, Mass. (WLNE) — Governor Maura Healey has announced that her administration will take control of Saint Elizabeth’s through eminent domain to help facilitate the transition of a new owner in order to keep the hospital open.

Healey announced that deals have been reached to transition operations at four Steward hospitals to new operators; Saint Anne’s Hospital, Good Samaritan Medical Center, the Holy Family Hospitals and Morton Hospital.

“Today, we are taking steps to save and keep operating the five remaining Steward Hospitals, protecting access to care in those communities and preserving the jobs of the hard-working women and men who work at those hospitals,” said Healey in a statement.

“Our team under Secretary Kate Walsh worked day in and day out to secure new, responsible, qualified operators who will protect and improve care for their communities. We’re grateful for the close collaboration of the legislature to develop a fiscally responsible financing plan to support these transitions,” she continued.

According to a release if the deals are finalized, Lawrence General Hospital will become the new operator for Holy Family in Haverhill and Methuen.

Lifespan would assume operations of Morton and Saint Anne’s, and Boston Medical Center would take over Good Samaritan, as well as Saint Elizabeth’s.

To support these new operators through this transition as they continue care for Massachusetts residents, the Healey-Driscoll administration said they worked to develop a fiscally responsible financing plan that includes cash advances, capital support and maximizing federal matches.

Carney and Nashoba Valley hospitals will close after not receiving qualified bids.

On X, Healey said:

“Nurses, health care workers, and staff at Carney and Nashoba are heart and soul of these hospitals, providing care and comfort day in and day out. I’m calling on Steward to make good on their severance payments. We’ll take it to the Bankruptcy Court if that’s what it takes. We’ve been working with hospital employees to make sure that everyone who wants a job, finds a job. There are thousands of available health care positions in Massachusetts right now, and we’ll be hosting job fairs with the MassHire Rapid Response team in the coming weeks. The workers and communities who rely on these hospitals are rightly upset about Steward’s decision to close them. I am too. We’re doing everything we can to keep patients safe and transition their care, help workers find new jobs, and clean up the mess that Steward made.”

Healey, Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh and Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein will hold a press conference regarding this new development at 1 p.m. on Friday.