Dallas-based Steward closed Carney Hospital on Aug. 31, resulting in 1,243 layoffs. Codman Square Health Center, which is a mile from the shuttered hospital in Dorchester, has since seen a significant rise in patient numbers, according to the report.
“We’ve had a spike in patients coming. It’s been a little lumpy,” Guy Fish, MD, CEO of Codman Square Health Center, told the publication. “Some days like Mondays and Tuesdays particularly earlier in the week, we’ve found up to a 40% increase in our patient volume.”
Dr. Fish told the publication the recent influx has put stress on his staff and forced a care redesign whereby patients are first screened and triaged.
Additionally, staff are more frequently calling 911 to transport the most serious cases to the fully equipped emergency room at Boston Medical Center.
Steward Health Care sought Chapter 11 protection May 6 and has been working to offload its 31 hospitals. All medical and nonmedical assets for Carney Hospital and Ayer, Mass.-based Nashoba Valley Medical Center were auctioned off during an online auction on Sept. 12, Sept. 16 and Sept. 17.
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