Hospital closure working group holds first meeting

AYER — Last week, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced the membership of the Nashoba Valley working group, which was created to address the health care needs of the region following the closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center.

Last month, the administration announced two working groups focused on stabilizing and revitalizing health care in communities impacted by Steward Health Care’s closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer and Carney Hospital in Dorchester.

The Nashoba Valley working group held its first meeting this month. The group is expected to develop recommendations for expanded or new services to meet the health care needs of those who live and work in Nashoba Valley and they will provide opportunities for community engagement as its work progresses.

“This committed and diverse group of leaders has come together to understand the needs, address opportunities, and explore ideas to protect the health and well-being of those who live and work in this region,” said Joanne Marqusee, the assistant secretary in the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. “[We are] committed to hearing and taking into account the voices of the residents in these towns.  While we understand that the loss of this hospital has been difficult for these towns, we see an opportunity for the Working Group to develop proposals that have potential to make a real and positive impact.”

The working group is co-chaired by Marqusee and Ayer Town Manager Robert Pontbriand.

“The inaugural meeting of the Nashoba Valley Working Group was a productive first step in addressing the various impacts and challenges to health care in the Nashoba Valley which the closure of the Nashoba Valley Medical Center has created,” said Pontbriand. The Working Group brings together a group of professional leaders from all three levels of government; healthcare professionals; emergency medical responders; and key community service stakeholders to develop a viable roadmap of recommendations to improve health care in the Nashoba Valley region.”

The list of Nashoba Valley Working Group members include:

Hospital leaders

• Tricia Pistone, senior director of external affairs, UMass Memorial Health Health-Alliance Clinton Hospital

• Christine Schuster, RN, MBA, president & CEO, Emerson Health

• Colin McHugh, president & CEO, Southern New Hampshire Health

• John Jurczyk, FACHE, Covenant senior vice president, president of St. Joseph Hospital

• Amy Hoey, RN, president, Tufts Medicine Lowell General Hospital

Other health care providers

• Stephany Godfrey, DO, chief of family medicine at Nashoba Valley Medical Center

• Amjad Husain, MD, chief medical officer, Nashoba Valley Medical Center

• Paul P. Harasimowicz III, MD, chief of surgery, Nashoba Valley Medical Center

• Francis M. Sauvageau, CEO, Taravista & Miravista Behavioral Health Centers

• John A. DeMalia, president & CEO, Community Health Connections Inc.

• Patti Onorato, deputy executive vice chancellor for operations, ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School

• William Reidt, regional VP Life Care Centers of America

Pre-hospital care (EMS/fire chiefs)

• Timothy Johnston, fire chief, Ayer

• Art Cheeks, fire chief, Groton

• Robert Sideleau, fire chief, Leominster

• Brian Borneman, fire chief, Pepperell

• Steele McCurdy, fire chief, Littleton

Community leaders

• Mark Haddad, town manager, Groton

• Jason M. Main, director of veterans services, Leicester

• Chelsey Patriss, executive director, Health Equity Partnership of North Central Massachusetts

• Tamara Bedard, RN, community health manager/local public health nurse, Nashoba Associated Boards of Health

• Lori A. Richardson, CEO, Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts Inc.

Elected officials

• U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan

• Marian Ryan, district attorney of Middlesex County

• State Sen. John Cronin, Worcester and Middlesex District

• State Sen. James B. Eldridge, Middlesex and Worcester District

• State Sen. Edward J. Kennedy, First Middlesex District

• State Rep. Margaret Scarsdale, First Middlesex District

• State Rep. Danillo A. Sena, 37th Middlesex District

Labor

• Audra Sprague, RN, co-chair of Massachusetts Nurses Association bargaining unit at Nashoba Valley Medical Center

• Tim Foley, executive vice president of 1199 SEIU United Health Care Workers East

Other state leaders

• Gregg Meyer, MD, head of incident command, Massachusetts Department of Public Health