Gov. Healey is moving forward with taking the land St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center sits on by eminent domain, despite pushback from the owners of the property — ACREFI CS U, LLC, Medical Properties Trust, and Apollo Global Management — saying they are rejecting her $4.5 million dollar offer as part of the taking.
Employees of St. Elizabeth’s and a local politician want Healey’s plan — to seize the land and transfer operation of the hospital to Boston Medical Center — to be allowed to proceed.
“We agree with the governor,” said Ellen MacInnis, a 26-year veteran nurse at the hospital. “We need to remain intact and taking care of our patients. It’s not surprising that the government is getting a lot of pushback when companies like Apollo ... prioritize profits over patient care, this is what happens.”
MacInnis said St. Elizabeth’s, as a tertiary care facility is a crucial community asset.
“We take care of the sickest of the sick,” she said. “We take care of patients with medical needs that are complex.”
Boston City Councilor Liz Breadon agrees.
“Seizing [the St. Elizabeth’s property] by eminent domain and then transferring the property to put it under the management of a reputable nonprofit, Boston Medical Center, is the only path forward to preserve, and keep good quality, health care services at the site,” said Breadon.
St. Elizabeth’s, Breadon noted, is not only an essential part of delivering health care to the local community, but is the biggest employer in Allston — part of her district. She added that she believes people in the community are in favor of an eminent domain seizure.
“When we find ourselves in a crisis this extreme, it may seem like an extreme measure, but I think it’s what’s called for in this moment,” Breadon said. “I think people are really fed up and finished with businesses and entities that are profiteering out of health care.”
