State Officials Deny Johnson Hospital's Request To Close Labor Unit

STAFFORD, CT — The Connecticut Office of Health Strategy Tuesday released a proposed decision that denies Johnson Memorial Hospital's request to cut its inpatient labor and delivery services.

JMH, which is owned by Trinity Health Of New England had filed a Certificate of Need application to terminate the services.

In its decision, The OHS said that Trinity,"has not satisfactorily demonstrated that the proposal will not negatively impact the diversity of health care providers and patient choice in the geographic region."

If the proposal were approved, patients in the area would be left with just four options for labor and delivery — Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center, Manchester Memorial Hospital and Day Kimball Hospital, with the closest being Mercy in Springfield, according to the decision.

"This necessarily means less diversity of health care providers and less patient choice in
the geographic region," the decision read. "If JMH was allowed to close there would be no L&D services in the (immediate area) and the closest services would be located out of state at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. JMH has acknowledged that the proposal will result in a negative impact to the diversity of health care providers and patients' cost for L&D services
because JMH’s services were provided at a lower cost."

Trinity first announced the termination plan in the summer of 2022. The intent, according to the announcement, was "to transform JMH's hospital-based services to meet the current and future needs of the local community more effectively, given the unprecedented changes and disruptions experienced in the health care industry nationally and locally. These changes will allow JMH to continue providing exceptional patient care, delivered with highest quality, and in a manner that honors the commitment to steward hospital resources."

Expectant moms would be referred to St. Francis, Trinity officials said then.

On Wednesday, State Sen. Jeff Gordon (R-Woodstock), a physician and member of the Public Health Committee, applauded the OHS proposed decision.

"This decision is good news for the residents of our district. It is important to keep inpatient labor and delivery services, as well as maternal and women’s reproductive healthcare, local. As a doctor and state senator, this is an issue I have been fighting for," Gordon said. "Expectant mothers, and families, rely on Johnson Memorial’s maternal care because of its accessibility in our rural area and its quality. While there are certainly other opinions on this proposed decision, I commend Johnson Memorial for being a leader on expanding many needed outpatient services in our community. I will continue to work cooperatively with Johnson Memorial and Trinity Health of New England’s leadership and staff on the healthcare needs of our region. Thank you to local legislators and town officials for their bipartisan partnership to address this issue and the concerns of the people that we represent."