Gov. Maura Healey announced Wednesday that the state is launching two new working groups to address pressing health care concerns in Ayer and Dorchester — two communities where Steward Health Care closed hospitals last month.
Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer both shut down on Aug. 31.
Healey’s announcement said the two working groups will focus on “stabilizing and revitalizing” health care in the communities, with an emphasis on getting input from providers, community leaders, nearby health care facilities and the public.
“We’re going to bring together community and industry leaders to develop a game plan to not only protect but improve health care in the regions most impacted by Steward’s greed and mismanagement,” Healey said.
The Dorchester working group will be co-chaired by Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Boston’s commissioner of public health, and Michael Curry, president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. The Nashoba Valley working group will be co-chaired by Joanne Marqusee, assistant secretary in the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and Robert Pontbriand, town manager of Ayer.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
