Framingham Union Hospital Transitions Nursery: What The Decision Means

FRAMINGHAM, MA — MetroWest Medical Center's Framingham Union Hospital is transitioning its special care nursery to a level 1B nursery, hospital officials said.

This change, officials said, "will create a stable future for the program and build upon the more than 100-year tradition of providing an excellent birth experience for expectant mothers in the MetroWest region."

“In collaboration with our staff, elected officials and the community, we are so pleased that we have found a path forward for this program that will allow us to continue to focus on providing a safe and personalized birth experience in a way that meets the needs of our patients, but also allows operational viability,” said Greg McFarland, Chief Executive Officer of MetroWest Medical Center.

“Maintaining this program, as well as our plans for enhancing services for mothers and babies, will allow us to continue to be able to be an important part of this momentous occasion for families in our area.”

This comes after months of outrage after news broke that the hospital was planning to shift from its previous nursery status to a Level I Well Baby Nursery.

A public hearing was held in April, which featured the public lambasting company officials for the decision and, eventually, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health stating that the company should pursue the shift it decided to make.

In addition to the news of the transition, the hospital shared it has added new technology in the nursery that enables telehealth consultations, giving onsite providers direct access to specialists when needed and expanding the resources available to patients and families while keeping them close to home.

The transition to a Level 1B nursery enables the hospital to be able to care for newborns requiring a higher level of care and monitoring than a well-baby nursery, officials said.