[W]ith Springfield Hospital in the midst of financial turmoil, some are concerned about the future of the area’s community health centers.
Springfield Hospital operates clinics in Rockingham, Ludlow, Londonderry, Charlestown, Chester and Springfield.
CEO Michael Halstead said every service line was being reviewed to find $6.5 million in annual savings by April 1.
Halstead said there were no plans to close any of the health centers, but he’s looking at the community use and support of each facility. Halstead said he likes to see about half of the population using medical services in that town, though that number varies.
“It’s a question of balancing what services does the market want?” Halstead said. “If the people don’t use the service, (we) have to make adjustments.”
Collectively, the clinics the hospital operates lost nearly $2.5 million last year.
Springfield Hospital nearly closed in January before receiving an $800,000 loan from the state to cover payroll and operating expenses. The hospital eliminated 27 positions on Feb. 1 and announced all employees would see a pay cut by Feb. 24.
The staff reductions brought the hospital to about half of its $6.5 million savings goal, Halstead said.
“There certainly is concern locally about the financial restructuring,” said Ludlow Town Manager Scott Murphy. “We’re just waiting to see like everybody else.”
Across the organization, five nurse positions were eliminated in addition to a nurse practitioner, a physician and several directors and coordinators. Ludlow Health Center’s director of physician practice position was terminated and two positions were let go from the Rockingham Health Center, including the director of physician practice and the referral coordinator.
Rockingham Town Manager Wendy Harrison said the Rockingham Health Center is “heavily used.”
“It would be very difficult for the people to get to another health center,” she said.
No staff members were eliminated from the Mountain Valley Health Center in Londonderry, but Rep. Kelly MacLaury Pajala, I-Londonderry, said people were anxious.
“My greatest concern is that the level of care remains high,” said Pajala. “Without that clinic, the Londonderry area’s access to primary care is geographically challenged at best.”
Some are especially leery since Springfield Hospital abruptly shut down medical services at Chester Family Medicine last year and opted to operate dentist offices in the town instead.
“It was a surprise to everyone,” said Chester Town Manager David Pisha, who regularly had blood drawn at the Chester clinic.
“A doctor clinic…is an integral part of the community,” Pisha said. “It goes beyond money and jobs. It goes to a whole fabric of a community.”
Hospital spokesperson Anna Smith said just 20 percent of the Chester population used the Chester facility before it closed. An assessment found Chester residents were more likely to use the Rockingham, Springfield or Charlestown locations for health care, Smith said.
Springfield Hospital is negotiating contracts with vendors to find additional savings. The hospital is also in early discussion with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center about forming a partnership. Filing for bankruptcy is also being discussed.
Halstead said the future of the hospital and the health centers will depend on the community’s support of them.
