DPH closes investigations into two Central Mass. hospitals

Photo | Grant Welker Framingham Union Hospital

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The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has closed its investigations into Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick and Framingham Union Hospital, probing sparked by undisclosed hospital-related incidents and complaints filed by the Massachusetts Nurses Association labor union.

The DPH is withholding further details of the investigations pending a public records request, which has been filed by WBJ.

The investigation into Leonard Morse Hospital was launched on Aug. 23 after a hospital-related incident, and the Framingham Union Hospital probe started on Sept. 23 after the MNA filed complaints to the DPH in September citing concerns over patient and staff safety, deficient hospital policies, and deliberately punitive management.

The DPH also began an investigation into Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester on Sept. 12, which is still ongoing.

All three hospitals are all owned by Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, which on Monday announced the planned Feb. 14 resignation of top Massachusetts market executive Carolyn Jackson, who also served as Saint Vincent’s CEO.

“For months, we have been alerting the DPH of horrendous conditions, particularly at St. Vincent Hospital, and most recently at Framingham Union Hospital. The complaints are based on official reports filed in real time by nurses over the last nine months that highlight significant deficiencies in staffing, hospital policies, allocation of technology, and a deliberately punitive management culture that is resulting in dangerous delays in the administration of needed medications and treatments, preventable patient falls, and other complications, including preventable sentinel events,” David Schildmeier, MNA director of public communications, wrote in an Oct. 1 email to WBJ.

Schildmeier said the MNA was encouraged by the DPH’s investigation into all three hospitals.

Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.