Steward: Not impressed!

If you live in the area, you've undoubtedly endured the glossy mailings from Steward.

A friend related a story of sitting in a doctor's office last week when an elderly patient arrived for an appointment and was told Steward no longer accepts her insurance and her regular doctor couldn't see her. She was distraught, confused and unable to cope with not seeing the same doctor who had treated her for years.

Did she receive notice? Was she able to comprehend the notification? Why didn't the doctor's office call and cancel the appointment with an explanation?

How much more of this will we see with Steward?

In my own case, after Steward's take-over, the detergent used caused a severe reaction and requires robes and linen to be brought from home.

If you have any complaints, here are some helpful addresses, sent by Rev. Taylor:

For Morton Hospital:
Rev. Kristen Taylor
Patient Advocate
Morton Hospital
88 Washington St.
Taunton, MA 02780
508-828-7000

Massachusetts Department of Public Health
99 Chauncy Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02111
[617] 753-8000

Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine
200 Harvard Mill Square, Suite 330
Wakefield, MA 01880
[800] 377-0550

The Joint Commission
Office of Quality Monitoring
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, Il 60181
[800] 994-6610 or complaint@jointcommission.org

Massachusetts Department of Mental Health
Clinical and Professional Services of Licensing
25 Stanford Street
Boston, MA 02114-2575
[617] 626-8000

Masspro
245 Wintere Street
Waltham, MA 02451


Recent articles from the Boston Globe:

Report: Steward Health Care lost money in its first year of operations, but complied with conditions imposed by state

By Robert Weisman, Globe Staff

Steward Health Care System lost money in its first year, but complied with conditions imposed by the state in 2010 when it recommended Steward be allowed to take over the six Caritas Christi Health Care hospitals, according to a report released Wednesday by the Massachusetts attorney general’s office.

The 70-page report looks at the Boston-based company’s compliance with its commitments -- such as whether it retained employees, maintained services, and made capital improvements -- as well as its market impact. But it covers only the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2011, and the eight hospitals and 1,840 physicians that were part of the health care system that year, making most of its data 16 months old.

In fiscal year 2011, the for-profit system, which is owned by New York private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, posted a $14.6 million operating loss and a total deficit of $56.9 million that includes one-time expenses related to the hospital purchases, the report said. While outpatient volume increased, expenses outpaced revenues.

http://www.boston.com/businessupdates/2013/01/30/report-says-steward-health-care-lost-money-its-first-year-operations-but-complied-with-conditions-imposed-state/M3iMwERDryPNghWiLq7o3L/story.html

Steward Health Care System is already a force for change

For-profit hospital chain is growing fast

 

Steward Health Care says it ‘unilaterally withdrew’ from talks to buy Maine hospital group