Town of Vernon Calls on State to Expedite Approval of Eastern Connecticut Health Network Sale
VERNON, Connecticut – The Yale New Haven Health proposal announced a year ago to purchase Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN), which is owned by Prospect Medical Holdings, was viewed with excitement and relief in Vernon and beyond. Prospect is a for-profit hospital company controlled by private equity. Finally, our critically important local hospital would be in the hands of a world-class health care system rather than the private equity vultures who have gutted Rockville General Hospital.
That excitement has turned to grave concern as Yale New Haven Health’s purchase of Prospect Medical Holdings hospitals in Connecticut has been delayed due to an unusually lengthy regulatory review process.
“I understand the need for the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy to carry out its regulatory responsibilities by reviewing the sale agreement and issuing a certificate of need,” Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne said. “I am extremely disappointed, however, that more than a year after the purchase agreement was announced we are still waiting for a decision.”
The regulators’ work is important. So is ensuring the survival of our much-needed local healthcare system. The delay is placing at risk thousands of jobs and the loss of essential medical care and infrastructure in our communities. The people in the communities served by ECNH have an enormous stake in this process. We need movement on the certificate of need now.
“I along with local legislators and other local leaders have sought a meeting with Governor Lamont about this unnecessarily long review process, but we have not heard back from the governor’s office,” Mayor Champagne said. “I know the governor cares deeply about access to healthcare for all Connecticut residents. I hope he will meet with us to hear our concerns and pleas for action.”
Prospect Medical Holdings was once viewed as the savior of our hospital system. It has not delivered and over time has weakened ECHN further by cutting services and extracting cash. Our once vibrant and essential community hospital is but a shell of itself. We need our hospital to once again be in the hands of professionals who are focused on delivering quality patient care.
There has been a lack of transparency and honesty with the communities Rockville General serves. The cyberattack that crippled ECHN was not the cause of the problems we are seeing now, including an inability to pay vendors. The cyberattack simply ripped the bandage off and exposed an institution that is damaged and has lost its way as a result of what we view as mismanagement by Prospect Medical Holdings.
We need prompt approval of the sale of ECHN to Yale New Haven Health. At risk are thousands of jobs and the health and welfare of our communities.