Sharon Hospital ordered to keep maternity services

SHARON — The state Office of Health Strategy (OHS) denied Sharon Hospital’s request to close its labor and delivery (L&D) services Monday, Feb. 5.

This is OHS’ final decision in a five-year fight between Sharon Hospital and members of the local community, led by grassroots organization Save Sharon Hospital, over the closure of the hospital’s labor and delivery services.

OHS determined that Sharon Hospital’s application for a Certificate of Need (CON) failed to meet the statutory requirements intended to protect the “quality, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness of care” in the region served.

“The applicant has failed to meet its burden of proof” that this closure would not negatively affect local health care, the office wrote, coming up short in meeting four of the six criteria set forth in state law:

— That the closure would be consistent with the Connecticut Statewide Health Care Facilities and Services Plan.

— That it would improve quality, access, and cost effectiveness of care.

— That the hospital had good cause for reducing access to services by Medicaid recipients or indigent persons — more than 48% of Sharon Hospital’s labor and delivery patients paid through Medicaid in 2021.

— That the closure would have no negative impact on the diversity of health care providers and patient choice.

The decision concluded: “Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Discussion, the Certificate of Need application of Sharon Hospital to terminate L&D services is hereby ordered DENIED.”

This decision in large parts echoes the OHS’ “preliminary decision,” handed down Aug. 29, 2023, which determined that L&D closure would failed to meet the agency’s criteria for a CON: “public need, access to care and cost-effectiveness.”

Sharon Hospital owner Nuvance Health appealed this proposed final decision Oct. 18. The brief and exceptions filed by the hospital argued, in effect, that the Sharon Hospital primary service area has less need for an operating maternity ward than it has for the cessation of financially unsustainable services.

On Nov. 8, 2023, Nuvance counsel Ted Tucci presented an oral argument for the closure of Sharon Hospital’s L&D services, saying that the proposed final “decision threatens Sharon Hospital’s ability to continue delivering care to Northwestern Connecticut.”

Nuvance Health originally filed a Certificate of Need to close the hospital’s maternity unit with OHS in January 2022, citing an annual loss of $3 million, staffing difficulties, and underutilization of the services as its key reasons for the proposed closure.

The $3 million loss at the hospital’s L&D unit contributes to the hospital’s overall annual losses of over $20 million.

In a brief statement to The News on Monday, Feb. 5, Sharon Hospital spokesperson Andrea Rynn wrote: “As a small community hospital within a non-profit health system, Sharon Hospital faces substantial financial and operational challenges to its continued operation of a Labor & Delivery unit.”

Since first announcing the intention to close the maternity ward in 2018, the hospital has faced stiff opposition from local community members led by grassroots 501(c)(3) organization Save Sharon Hospital.

Community members celebrated the state’s decision to maintain maternity services in Sharon.

Lydia Moore, president of Save Sharon Hospital, wrote her views in a statement to The Lakeville Journal: “We are so thankful and thrilled that the state has agreed with our community that the Sharon Hospital maternity unit must stay open! In its final decision, the state clearly shows its understanding that we need safe, high-quality, local access to labor and delivery, despite our rural location. Thank you to everyone in the community that helped us get here. It has been a long fight, but we did it!”

Rynn, on behalf of the hospital, said, “Sharon Hospital will continue to be transparent with our staff, community, and other stakeholders regarding our efforts to ensure the sustainability of Sharon Hospital.”

She said: “We will be considering all options available as we reassess our path forward.”