Mass General Brigham will close MGH Downtown Associates, its only primary care practice in Boston’s Downtown Crossing neighborhood, on Dec. 18, The Boston Globe reported Nov. 4.
The building that houses the practice will be converted into apartments by Boston developer Synergy through the city’s Office-to-Residential Conversion Program, an MGB spokesperson told the Globe.
The practice’s five physicians and one nurse practitioner, along with most of its staff, will be offered jobs at other Massachusetts General Hospital-affiliated primary care practices. The practice has about 8,000 to 10,000 patients.
The closure comes as MGB works to cut costs over the next two years, including a recent round of layoffs, though the spokesperson said the decision is unrelated to that effort.
“To be clear, this is not a [staff] reduction,” MGB spokesperson Jessica Pastore told the Globe in an email. “The building is closing and we need to vacate, and [MGB has] other nearby practices.”
The email did not provide details on any specific changes, but a statement from the health system shared with Becker’s said: “While previous actions helped improve our financial position, our operating performance still requires broader structural changes. To strengthen our long-term sustainability, we must improve coordination across our hospitals and care settings, accelerating our transition to a more integrated model of care.
“These are difficult but necessary decisions to ensure we can continue providing exceptional care for patients, advancing research and education, and investing in the people and programs that are central to our mission. This work will be guided by our clinicians who are closest to patient care.”
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.
