Despite facing major financial challenges, Steward Health Care is not currently planning to shutter any of its Massachusetts hospitals, a company executive said Friday after elected officials have been sounding the alarm about potential closures that could harm vulnerable residents throughout eastern Massachusetts.
Steward owns nine hospitals in Massachusetts, including Morton in Taunton, Good Samaritan in Brockton and St. Anne’s in Fall River.
Steward “has agreed upon the principal terms for a significant financial transaction to help stabilize our company,” Steward Executive Vice President Dr. Michael Callum said in a message to colleagues. Callum’s message was shared by a nurses union and a Steward official confirmed that it was sent to employees on Friday morning.
However, Callum indicated in his letter that some Steward facilities may eventually come under new ownership as Steward continues to grapple with its financial issues, including overdue loan and rent payments.
“This bridge financing and the terms of this transaction have been agreed upon and the first tranche of funding is imminent,” Callum wrote. “This funding will help stabilize operations, including the resumption of virtually all elective cases, and more importantly allows us to continue operations at all of our Massachusetts hospitals. To be clear, we have no current plans to close any of our hospitals in Massachusetts.”