Newton-Wellesley Hospital Withdraws Plans for Framingham Facility

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2009-09-16 10:00

 

In the face of opposition from the MetroWest Medical Center and local officials— as well as the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce—the Newton-Wellesley Hospital has dropped plans to develop a surgical facility in Framingham. The Medical Center argued that the proposed unit would draw higher-paying patients away from the Framingham/Natick facility, which is already dealing with financial problems stemming partly from the lower insurance reimbursement payments it can command compared with larger hospitals.
 

Newton-Wellesley President Dr.Michael Jellinek told the MetroWest Daily News (the June 15), "Our outpatient surgery center was not designed to jeopardize MetroWest Medical Center, nor do I believe shifting Newton-Wellesley patients to that facility would have had any material impact on them. . . But I appreciate that just the thought of this new facility was causing them anxiety. . . As a society, we should be concerned when an integral and necessary institution professes to be in such vulnerable condition as described by MetroWest Medical. . . I sincerely hope that Mr. Soran [the MetroWest Medical Center President ] is successful with his vision for the hospital and that Vanguard Health Systems [MetroWest Medical’s corporate parent] gives him the time and funding necessary to succeed.”

 
Soren told the News that the Medical Center is still seeking the higher Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance reimbursements received by Newton-Wellesley and other affiliates of the powerful Partners HealthCare system.

 

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