A bid is in to purchase Rockville General Hospital and Manchester Memorial Hospital from ECHN and Prospect Medical Holdings.
VERNON/MANCHESTER, CT — Reaction — so far — has been all positive by state and municipal leaders regarding the bid by Hartford HealthCare to purchase Rockville General Hospital and Manchester Memorial Hospital from bankrupt Prospect Medical Holdings.
Late last week, word spread of the $86.1 million bid. The two hospitals have been operating while Prospect undergoes Chapter 11 proceedings, which were filed in January. The two are operated by Eastern Connecticut Health Network, a subsidiary of Prospect.
"It's a bid, which is not 100 percent, but we've all been waiting for something to happen," Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne said.
Champagne can see RGH from his office window.
"Hartford HealthCare is a reputable organization, so I think it's a good move," he said.
Hartford HealthCare has been building a presence in north central Connecticut via offices for physicians within its network, along with walk-in centers. The hospitals could be the next step, officials said.
"Every hospital that has joined Hartford HealthCare has experienced measurable positive results that benefit patients,” Hartford HealthCare officials said in a corresponding statement.
Manchester Mayor Jay Moran said he is certainly on board.
"I'm excited to have Hartford HealthCare bid on Manchester Memorial Hospital," he said. "I’m keeping my fingers crossed that, in about a month, that they will be the new owners of our hospital. Hartford HealthCare's ownership most importantly guarantees quality health care in Manchester and East of the River for many years to come. This change in ownership also will continue to provide employment for so many great health professionals and support staff. We have been waiting for years for this awesome news."
State lawmakers were positive.
State Senator Jeff Gordon, a practicing physician whose 35th district includes Vernon and other towns serviced by RGH, called the bid a "big, critical turning point" for patient care.
"These moves follow years of greed and mismanagement by Prospect Medical Holdings that not only created worsening financial instability of Rockville General Hospital and Manchester Memorial Hospital, but spiraled Prospect into bankruptcy, Gordon said. "The sale of these hospitals is potentially good news, especially for Rockville General Hospital, which I've long advocated for. As a doctor, as well as a senator, I know how essential it is that we not only preserve these hospitals but protect vital services like the emergency departments and expand local inpatient and outpatient care."
State Sen. Saud Anwar, whose 3rd District includes potential patients of both hospitals in East Hartford, East Windsor, Ellington and South Windsor.
Like Gordon, Anwar is a doctor and currently serves as chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals.
"This is incredibly welcome news for health care in the state of Connecticut. I fully endorse and encourage Hartford HealthCare’s bid to purchase these hospitals, which would preserve local community care in Manchester, Vernon and their surrounding towns and cities," Anwar said.
Gordon had warned that the previous lengthy delay by state regulators to approve a plan to buy all three of the Prospect hospitals in Connecticut (Waterbury as well) would cause the deal to fall apart, costing more in the long run.
"Since this happened, the state now must step up to clean up Prospect’s mess and prevent for-profit private equity from taking over more hospitals. These financial models have no place in Connecticut health care," he added.