City Councilor Rivera Calls for Council to Evaluate Impact of Bed Closures at UMass Memorial
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Thursday, March 02, 2017
GoLocalWorcester News Team
Beds at UMass Memorial
Following the proposal by UMass Memorial Medical center to close 13 of its 28 impatient psychiatric beds at its University Campus, Worcester City Councilor Sarai Rivera is proposing an ordercalling for the City Council to evaluate the impact of the closure.
Nurses and advocates approve of the Council’s efforts to further study the plan.
“We believe this is a shortsighted and dangerous proposal that is in direct violation of the UMass mission to provide comprehensive care to all members of the Greater Worcester community. These are patients in crisis with multiple diagnoses who need immediate inpatient services who will now be forced to travel long distances for care, receive inadequate care, or go without treatment altogether,” said Lisa Goss, RN, a psychiatric nurse who has worked on 8 East for more than 12 years.
The order calls on the city manager to provide the City Council with a report “concerning what impact UMass Memorial Medical Center's closing of thirteen psychiatric beds may have on health care throughout the city, including information concerning its impact on accessing timely healthcare for those with behavioral health conditions who are boarding in our hospital emergency rooms… and what effect this will have on the City's economically disadvantaged and homeless communities.
The council will take up the issue on March 7.
Nurses and advocates are expected to hold a rally outside of City Hall prior to the meeting.
The Plan to Close the Beds
In January, the management of UMass Memorial Medical Center announced plans to close 13 of the 28 psychiatric beds on 8 East, its inpatient psychiatric unit, and to convert these beds to medical surgical beds.
The Department of Public Health will hold a public hearing on March 30 in Worcester concerning the plan to determine if this is an essential service that should be maintained. The hearing is part of the legal process UMass Memorial must go through before closing the beds.
Rivera is seeking the impact analysis prior to the hearing so that the council can determine if they need to weigh in on the issue to protect the interests of Worcester residents impacted by the plan.
Related Slideshow: Check Out The Grades: Massachusetts Hospitals Report Card
A recent survey released by The Leapfrog Group assigns a Hospital Safety Score, using the report card system of A to F to each of the hospitals in Rhode Island. These grades are based on expert analysis of injuries, infections and errors that cause harm or death during a hospital stay.
Let's see how each of Massachusetts' hospitals were graded from highest to lowest:
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Addison Gilbert Hospital
Gloucester, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Anna Jaques Hospital
Newburyport, RI
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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Baystate Franklin Medical Center
Greenfield, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Baystate Medical Center
Springfield, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
(Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia)
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Berkshire Medical Center
Pittsfield, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Milton
Milton, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Beverly Hospital
Beverly, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Boston Medical Center
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Cambridge Health Alliance: Cambridge
Cambridge, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Cambridge Health Alliance: Whidden
Everett, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Cape Cod Hospital
Hyannis, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
(Photo: Davee, Flickr)
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Carney Hospital
Dorchester, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Charlton Memorial Hospital: Southcoast Hospitals Group
Fall River, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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Emerson Hospital
Concord, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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Hallmark Health System: Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford
Medford, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Hallmark Health System: Melrose-Wakefield Hospital
Melrose, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Harrington Memorial Hospital
Southbridge, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Holy Family Hospital
Methuen, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Jordan Hospital
Plymouth, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: C
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Lahey Hospital and Medical Center
Burlington, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Leonard Morse Hospital
Natick, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Lowell General Hospital
Lowell, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Marlborough Hospital
Marlborough, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Mercy Medical Center of Springfield
Springfield, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: C
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Merrimack Valley Hospital
Haverhill, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: C
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Framingham Union Hospital
Framingham, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Milford Regional Medical Center
Milford, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Morton Hospital
Taunton, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Mount Auburn Hospital
Cambridge, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Nashoba Valley Medical Center: A Steward Family Hospital
Ayer, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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Newton-Wellesley Hospital
Newton, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Noble Hospital
Westfield, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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North Shore Medical Center - Union Hospital
Lynn, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Quincy Medical Center
Quincy, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital
Brockton, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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South Shore Hospital
South Weymouth, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Steward Good Samaritan Medical Center, Inc.
Brockton, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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St. Luke's Hospital: Southeast Hospitals Group
New Bedford, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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Steward Norword Hospital
Norwood, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Steward St. Anne's Hospital
Fall River, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Steward St. Elizabeth's Medical Center
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Sturdy Memorial Hospital
Attleboro, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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The Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Northampton, MA
Fall 2013 Grade:
Spring 2013 Grade:
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Tobey Hospital: Southcoast Hospitals Group
Wareham, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Wing Memorial Hospital & Medical Centers
Palmer, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: A
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital: Needham
Needham, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Falmouth Hospital
Falmouth, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: C
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Holyoke Medical Center
Holyoke, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Lawrence General Hospital
Lawrence, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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North Shore Medical Center: Salem Hospital
Salem, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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Saints Medical Center
Lowell, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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St. Vincent at Worcester Medical Center
Worcester, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Tufts Medical Center
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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Winchester Hospital
Winchester, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: B
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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HealthAlliance Hospital
Leominster, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: C
Spring 2013 Grade: B
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North Adams Regional Hospital
North Adams, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: C
Spring 2013 Grade: A
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U Mass Memorial Medical Center
Worcester, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: C
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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U Mass Memorial Medical Center: Memorial Campus
Worcester, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: C
Spring 2013 Grade: C
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Athol Memorial Hospital
Athol, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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Baystate Mary Lane Hospital
Ware, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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Clinton Hospital
Clinton, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded due to lack of publicly available data
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Fairview Hospital
Great Barrington, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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Martha's Vineyard Hospital
Oak Bluffs, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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Massachusetts Eye And Ear
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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Nantucket Cottage Hospital
Nantucket, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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New England Baptist Hospital
Boston, MA
Fall 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
Spring 2013 Grade: Not Graded*
*Not graded because the hospital did not respond to Leapfrog's voluntary survey
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