Council Calls for Public Health Emergency Due to Closing of Carney Hospital

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During this week’s Council meeting, the Council adopted a resolution calling for the Boston Public Health Commission to declare a public health emergency relative to the closing of Carney Hospital.

Steward Health Care System is one of the nation’s largest private for-profit healthcare networks, owning over 30 hospitals in nine states, including Carney Hospital (founded 1863 in South Boston) in Dorchester, which serves a large and diverse patient population in the City of Boston.

Last month, Steward revealed in its bankruptcy court filings that it is planning to close Carney Hospital by August 31, 2024, citing lack of qualified bids for the hospitals. The closure date is about three months earlier than the state required 120 day notice for closing hospitals, leaving patients and hospital staff little time to prepare and transfer their care.

The resolution adopted by the Council states that, “The request from Steward to close [Carney Hospital] so quickly is unconscionable, and the closure of [the hospital] will have devastating and cascading negative impacts on Boston residents who are reliant on care from Carney [...].”

Carney Hospital has a long history of serving patients in Boston, as it serves many residents of color living in Dorchester and elsewhere, as well as many immigrant patients, and has strong ties to many South Boston residents who had either visited or worked there.

The loss of Carney Hospital could pose significant risk to the health and well being of the communities served by these facilities, particularly a significant population from communities of color and economically disadvantaged residents disproportionately impacted by service closures.

The loss of Carney Hospital could also compromise and delay access to care for all communities in Greater Boston, as already overcrowded facilities will be forced to absorb this population of patients. The closure would also impact 753 jobs at Carney Hospital.

The Council urges the City of Boston and the Boston Public Health Commission to declare a public health emergency in relation to the closure of Carney Hospital, and take all possible steps necessary to preserve the operations of the hospital, and ensure that Steward is following all state and local laws.

The Council also urges the City of Boston and State Government to be prepared that if there are no bidders for Carney Hospital, to seize the property by eminent domain and continue to operate the facility until a permanent operator is found.