CT AG Seeks Investigation Of Planned Changes At Windham Hospital

WILLIMANTIC, CT — Windham Hospital in Willimantic is proposing to stop providing obstetrics services, and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has submitted comments to the Office of Health Strategy urging careful scrutiny of the planned termination.

The hospital cites low patient counts and workforce challenges are driving its decision, which would mean the closure of its birthing unit.

Such a move would leave "vulnerable families in the region to drive to Norwich, Manchester, or Hartford to give birth," according to Tong. He sent the comments ahead of a scheduled public hearing before the Office of Health Strategy scheduled for Wednesday.

"Asking these parents to travel an additional 25-45 minutes in order to undergo a major medical procedure at another hospital is not a mere inconvenience; it creates additional burden and risk for an already vulnerable mother and baby," Tong said. "To that end, we urge your office to closely examine this application and balance the benefits of ending obstetric services at Windham Hospital with the consequences of doing so and consider what steps might be taken to bolster community-based prenatal and postpartum services for this high need population."

The Department of Economic and Community Development has ranked Windham as Connecticut's most economically distressed municipality based on population, unemployment, poverty, educational attainment and property value, according to Tong.

As a result, families impacted by this proposed closure would be among the most underserved in Connecticut.

Additionally, Tong noted in his comments that the Office of the Attorney General is charged with ensuring that charitable gifts are used for purposes consistent with donor intent. Should OHS approve the application to terminate obstetric services, the Office of the Attorney General would work to ensure that any charitable funds intended to support obstetric services at Windham Hospital would continue to serve the purposes for which they were intended.