New England Sinai to close

Steward Health Care has announced that it will shutter the

New England Sinai rehabilitation hospital in Stoughton by next April, a decision that will put further pressure on regional hospitals already struggling to discharge patients who need continued care. In a letter sent to state officials Dec. 4, a law firm for Steward Health Care System said it planned to submit a formal notice with the state to close 39 rehabilitation service beds, 119 chronic care service beds, and all ambulatory care services at New England Sinai Hospital. As of Wednesday, there were 45 patients in the hospital. In a statement, the Dallas-based health system blamed the closure on low reimbursement rates it receives for its predominantly government-insured patients. “As a result of these chronic low reimbursement rates, Steward has lost $22 million from [New England Sinai Hospital] operations and cannot afford to keep the facility open,” the system said in a statement. A Steward spokesperson said those losses were reflected in calendar years 2021 through 2023. Even with months before an extended timeline until the closure, Steward said that as of this week the hospital is no longer taking admissions. The hospital said there were more than 150 skilled nursing facilities located within 25 miles of the hospital. With an average length of stay between 41 to 48 days, the hospital said it should have ample time before its April timeframe to find placements for patients. However, the closure comes at a perilous time for Massachusetts hospitals, which have struggled for months to find places to send the patients they discharge. As a result, patients have stayed in acute care hospitals, on average, half a day longer than before the pandemic. Difficulty getting people out of the hospital has also contributed to problems bringing people in. Patients at many health systems are waiting days in the emergency room waiting for a bed. — JESSICA BARTLETT