UMass Memorial opposes Mass General Brigham Westborough proposal
Photo | Courtesy | Mass General Brigham
A rendering of the planned Mass General Brigham outpatient center on West Park Drive in Westborough
UMass Memorial Health Care has filed paperwork opposing Mass General Brigham's planned outpatient facility in Westborough, saying the Somerville-based health network hasn't demonstrated a need for the new medical office.
Such a need is part of a state regulatory review process, which is now underway by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
UMass Memorial, which submitted its official opposition to the state in mid-February, said Mass General Brigham wrongly states the areas where it wants to build outpatient facilities aren't in the primary service areas of a community hospital. Milford Regional Medical Center's service area includes Westborough, UMass Memorial said.
The Westborough site would also be two towns over from Marlborough Hospital, which is part of the UMass Memorial system. Milford Regional hasn't submitted its own formal opposition to the plan and said it wouldn't oppose the plan.
UMass Memorial, which is headquartered in Worcester, is requesting Mass General Brigham's plans either be withdrawn or that an independent cost analysis be performed to determine whether the planned facility would help keep healthcare costs affordable in the state.
Mass General Brigham's patient costs are generally the highest among large healthcare systems in Massachusetts, according to the state's Center for Health Information and Analysis.
Mass General Brigham didn't respond to a request for comment on UMass Memorial's opposition.
Mass General Brigham submitted plans to the state for review in January. In addition to the planned outpatient site at 1400 W. Park Drive in Westborough, the health network is also planning to build others in Woburn and Salem, N.H., and expand its outpatient site in Westwood. Each site will offer outpatient surgery, primary care, behavioral health and specialty care such as orthopedics, eurology, ophthalmology and neurology.
The Department of Public Health plans to hold public hearings on the proposals this spring.
Mass General Brigham, formerly known as Partners HealthCare and the state's largest healthcare system, hasn't indicated when it plans to open the new facilities.
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As a Westborough resident, I support Mass General Brigham’s planned care center, and I am disappointed to have seen so few local voices reflected at the hearing and in the article. I am the mother of an adult child who for the last 35 years I have been caring for 24/7 due to a cancerous brain tumor (medulloblastoma) and, most recently, a devastating stroke. My daughter receives care in Boston, including MGB’s Mass General Hospital and Tufts. MGB provides outstanding medical service, if we could get the same care in Westborough, that would be wonderful. We wouldn’t have to wake up at 5:30 a.m. to commute to Boston for appointments. We would save money on tolls and gas. And most importantly, we would have more quality time with our daughter – something you can’t put a price tag on.
I invite anyone who opposes this project to trade shoes with me for a day.
If we were to see a MGB Outpatient facility locally it would truly be a blessing for my family as well as thousands of other MGB patients from the area.
There is going to be even a greater shift to outpatient ambulatory surgery facilities in the years to come. There are over 42,000 MGB patients in Westborough and the surrounding area. Now is the time to accept the future of how and where medical services will be provided. Say YES to the new MGB Outpatient Medical Facility. It will make a huge difference in the lives of many.
I always thought competition was good!
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