Home Care In Jefferson, MA

Healthcare mergers and acquisitions are in no short supply as providers, health tech companies, retailers and other industry players look to expand their businesses and gain a competitive edge. Here’s a roundup of new deals that were revealed, closed, rumored or called off during the month of December.

Jefferson Health and Lehigh Valley Health Network signed a non-binding letter of intent to merge and form a $14 billion nonprofit health system. The deal targets a 2024 close and would create a 62,000-employee organization with 30 hospitals and over 700 care sites in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Of note, the integrated care delivery system would be supported by Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson’s nonprofit health plan.

Froedtert Health and ThedaCare confirmed that their $5.5 billion combination had moved past customary closing conditions, such as regulatory review. As of Jan. 1, the merger has closed.

Children’s Hospital of Orange County and Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego unveiled plans to merge under the new banner of Rady Children’s Health. The deal, which would create one of the West Coast’s largest providers of pediatric care, is subject to regulatory review and targets a 2024 close.

John Muir Health and Tenet Healthcare called off the buyout of Tenet’s 51% stake in San Ramon Regional Medical Center in the wake of the Federal Trade Commission’s objections filed in November. The $142.5 million deal would have eliminated the nonprofit’s primary competition for inpatient general acute care in the region, the regulator said. John Muir said it was “disappointed” in the objection but that the “significant money and time required” to fight the regulator would be better spent elsewhere.

Community Health Systems closed a deal to sell three Florida hospitals to Tampa General Hospital. The transaction totaled $280 million in cash and $14 million of estimated working capital and other purchase price adjustments.

Vandalia Health acquired the three-hospital Davis Health System in a deal the former said has made it the second-largest nonprofit integrated system in West Virginia.

UCHealth picked up the two-hospital system Parkview Health to bring its total to 14 hospitals. The Colorado system plans to invest almost $200 million into the two hospitals over the next decade and assist with staffing.

Baptist Health acquired Drew Memorial Health System, an Arkansas organization that includes a 60-bed hospital, two clinics and home health services.

HCA Houston Healthcare, part of the larger HCA Healthcare, bought 11 freestanding emergency departments from SignatureCare Emergency Center, bringing its total in the Houston area to 26. Financial terms were not disclosed.

UC San Diego Health completed its $200 million purchase of Alvarado Hospital Medical Center from Prime Healthcare. The 302-bed center has been renamed UC San Diego Health East Campus Medical Center.

Lifepoint Health and Ascension Saint Thomas formed a joint venture in Northern Middle Tennessee to split ownership of Highpoint Health System.

Cigna and Humana’s potential $140 billion merger crumbled due to concerns from investors and no common ground on key financial terms, per reports. In its wake, rumors have swirled that Cigna is accepting bids for its $3 billion-plus Medicare Advantage business, with Health Care Service Corp. and Elevance Health named as potential buyers.

Elevance Health and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana’s sidelined merger came back from the dead when the latter filed an updated application seeking to reorganize as a for-profit, which would pave the way for a purchase. The $2.5 billion pickup was put on hold amid regulatory scrutiny a couple of months prior.

UnitedHealth Group filed a notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing a sale of its Brazilian health insurance business, Amil, to entrepreneur José Seripieri Filho. The deal, which reportedly involved a roughly $515.2 million bid, is expected to close in the first half of 2024 pending regulatory approvals.

Bright Health Group’s sale of its Medicare Advantage plans to Molina Healthcare cleared regulatory hurdles, which cleared the way for a Jan. 1 close. Earlier in the month, Molina had lowered the purchase price for the business to about $500 million, of which $100 million had been siphoned into an escrow account.

KKR & Co., a private equity firm, is reported to be exploring a deal to buy a 50% stake in Cotiviti. The healthcare analytics company is owned by Verscend Technology, which is owned by Veritas Capital. Such a deal would value Cotiviti between $10 billion and $11 billion.

R1 RCM, which makes patient experience and financial performance technology for providers, entered a definitive agreement to acquire Providence’s revenue cycle management technology spinout Acclara. The agreement outlines a $675 million cash agreement with warrants to purchase 12.2 million shares of R1 stock, as well as a 10-year agreement between Acclara and its former parent health system for comprehensive revenue cycle services.

Guidehealth, a value-based care enablement startup, has purchased the managed service organization and value-based care service division of Arcadia, a health tech company that offers a data analytics platform for providers and payers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ConcertAI, a real-world evidence and AI company, acquired the American Society of Clinical Oncology subsidiary CancerlinQ to grow its oncology data capabilities.

CoachCare, a remote patient monitoring and virtual health company, purchased fellow remote patient monitoring company Verustat. Terms of the acquisition, CoachCare’s fourth in 12 months, were not disclosed.

TREND Health Partners, a healthcare payment technology company, acquired AI clinical review platform Advent Health Partners for an undisclosed sum.

mergers and acquisitionsHealthcare DealmakersJefferson HealthCignaLehigh Valley Health NetworkHumanaFroedtert HospitalThedaCareRady Children’s Hospital & Health CenterElevance Health (Anthem)UCHealthCommunity Health SystemsJohn Muir HealthTenet HealthcareHCA HealthcareUC San Diego HealthLifePoint HospitalsAscension HealthHealth Care Service CorpBright HealthUnitedHealth GroupKKRCotivitiR1 RCMProvidence Health & ServicesHealth TechPayersHospitalsPracticesRetailFinanceRegulatory

Tim Shaw and Susan Harragin recently relocated their restaurant Harvest Grille in Sterling to a new home at 1 Princeton St., Jefferson.

The dining spot opened in July at the former Jefferson House, which in the late 1800s and early 1900 was known as a summer hotel, attracting people from Boston and New York who wanted to get away from the heat of the cities. Several restaurants have occupied the space in recent years. Visit www.holdenhistory.org to learn about the property and the Jefferson section of Holden.

Shaw and Harragin (husband and wife) opened Harvest Grille in Sterling in 2012. The couple ran a successful business with a great following, but the property was leased, and, ultimately, the couple wanted to own a place, said Shaw about the decision to pack it up in Sterling.

Purchasing the building in Jefferson was just the beginning, according to Shaw, who said the property needed a lot of work as it had been vacant for quite a while.

The new owners have winterized the building, and completely renovated the kitchen and purchased all new equipment. They also have expanded parking, adding a new lot nearby and repaving the existing one.

Employees from the Sterling restaurant, including chef Brendan Murphy, now work in Jefferson.

Shaw is originally from Florida; Harragin, New York. They have two children.

The couple have worked in the restaurant industry for quite a while. Shaw has 35 years in the business, starting out when he was a teen. He also has experience as a commercial fisherman. The couple operated a restaurant in the Florida Keys for 15 years, taking time off on their sailboat before settling in New England.

Harvest Grille is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. It's closed Mondays.

Seating is 150. A bar is located in the front dining room. The restaurant is available for private functions. Telephone: (774) 345-4058; www.theharvestgrille.com (which continues to be updated).

Harragin’s description of the restaurant menu is, “Good, fresh food prepared with as many regionally sourced ingredients as possible. No specific cuisine influences the food.”

Crystal Brook Farm in Sterling provides goat cheese for Harvest Grille, and Philbin Orchards and Clearview Farm, both in Sterling, supply vegetables and fruits in season.

There’s plenty of variety on lunch and dinner menus, including appetizers, sandwiches and sandwich plates, seafood, steaks, combination dishes, saute?s, etc.

Tuesdays, 4:30 p.m. to closing, the special at Harvest Grille is “Fajitas and Rita’s.” Fajitas for two (choice of steak, chicken, blackened fish) with all the fixings, plus a pitcher of margaritas, costs $29.95.

Check out live music on Saturdays, and the rotating art gallery featuring local artists. The art displayed in dining rooms can be purchased.

Harvest Grille, like any new restaurant, continues to make adjustments here and there. The owners said they welcome diners’ feedback.

In 2013, a restaurant review in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette was more than positive about Harvest Grille in Sterling. The restaurant was “flawless from start to finish,” according to the review.

Diners who now travel from Sterling to Jefferson to eat at the restaurant might say that just the location has changed.

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More than a dozen craft brewers from New England will participate in "Craft: Artisan Beers + Trades," scheduled 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 19 and 20 at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge.

Beer and hard cider samples will be served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the beer garden in the village. OSV members and Sturbridge residents will be admitted free of charge.

Artisans at the event will demonstrate black ash basket making, copper plate engraving, fancy painting, figure carving, furniture and chair making, lace work, painted floor cloths, paper making, stone letter caring, traditional rug making, wool spinning, historical cabinet making, etc. Items will be sold.

Guests also may purchase beer and a meal at a special barbecue. Pulled pork sandwiches, brats, etc. will be available.

Live music is scheduled during the two-day event.

Visit www.osv.org for more information and advanced tickets.

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Bill Brady, executive chef/owner of Sonoma in Princeton, is one of 135 chefs in 135 cities battling it out to create America’s best breakfast in honor of the 135th anniversary of the Thomas’ brand.

Each chef will utilize Thomas’ iconic English muffins and bagels to showcase how easy and fun it is to add some local flair and “approachability” to breakfast.

Brady, who also is a chef/ instructor in the culinary arts department at Worcester Technical High School in Worcester, hopes to drum up the local vote with his Mini, Individually Ham Wrapped Thomas’ Corn English Muffins with Maple Sausage, Apple (McIntosh) and Cheddar Strata. That’s a mouthful, Bill.

Here’s how the competition works:

Beginning Sept. 14, local fans will have two weeks to vote online at www.thomasbreakfast.com to ensure their chef makes it into the next round of competition that narrows the pool from 135 to the top 16.

Read more about Brady’s background and awards on Thomas’ Breakfast Battle website.

You can vote every day, and you’ll also qualify to win prizes, including coupons and $10,000 at the end of the chefs’ competition. Information about prizes is on the website.

Foodies (and non-foodies), let’s get Bill, an award-winning chef, to the next level.

Start voting!

Mini Individually Ham Wrapped Thomas’ Corn English Muffins with Maple Sausage, Apple and Cheddar Strata: Crack 4 eggs and mix with ½ cup milk. Add 2 Thomas’ Corn English Muffins, diced, 4 ounces small diced Cheddar cheese, 4 ounces breakfast sausage (maple flavored), browned and drained, and ½ cup diced McIntosh apple. Season with salt and white pepper. Let mixture sit at least 15 minutes. Can be made the night before and refrigerated. Spray mini muffin tins with baking spray. You will need 12 slices 4-by-4-inch deli ham slices, cut in half. Place 2 ham slices in the muffin tin to form a cup. Carefully fill with strata mix and bake in 325-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes until strata is set. Remove from tin and serve. Makes 12 servings.

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Get ready for the Triple Triple Challenge to take place Sept. 18 at Wayback Burgers nationwide. The event celebrates National Cheeseburger Day.

Guests will compete against the clock to take down Wayback’s “monstrous” nine-patty burger for a chance to be crowned the national Triple Triple Champion.

The competition is reportedly “fierce,” and last year’s winner, Molly Schuyler of California, devoured the Triple Triple Burger in 38.95 seconds.

You can sign up for the challenge at the Wayback Burger restaurant located at 11 Tobias Boland Way, Worcester.

FYI: The nine-patty burger has nine slices of American cheese topped with lettuce and tomato. Each participant will receive a complimentary T-shirt and must sign a waiver to be eligible. The winner will be announced Sept. 19, collecting a $3,330 prize along with national bragging rights.

Visit www.waybackburgers.com for more information and to view contest rules.

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A Fall Grand Beer Tasting is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17 at Yankee Spirits in Sturbridge.

More than 90 beers will be available for sampling. A $5 donation is requested for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Call Yankee Spirits, (508) 347-2231, about the event.

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It’s a busy season for Niche Hospitalty Group in Worcester.

The Niche Test Kitchen, 30 Major Taylor Blvd., Worcester, will have its “2nd installment of a 3-part series of seated dinners” at 7 p.m. Sept. 25. The Harvest Dinner cost is $85 per person, including tax and gratuity.

The third installment of dinners is scheduled at 7 p.m. Oct. 30, Day of the Dead.

Reservations for the dinners are required and must be prepaid. Call (508) 612-1137, or send email to [email protected].

A Flamenco Wine Dinner will take place at 9 p.m. Sept. 18 at Bocado Tapas Wine Bar in Worcester.

Dinner will be paired with wine and sangria. Cost is $60 per person. Live Flamenco music and dance. Call (508) 797-1011 to reserve.

A Signature Wine Dinner will take place at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at Bocado in Worcester. Six courses will be paired with regional Spanish wines. Cost is $50 per person. Space is limited.

Mezcal Tequila Cantina in Worcester and Lemonister features “Burrito Bonanza” through September.

Special burrito creations include The Cuban, The Eggplant Parm, The Steak & Eggs and The Big McMez, plus more. Rice is the side. Cost is $10.99.

Note: $5 beef burritos are available for children, 10 and younger.

Mezcal Football Fiesta Sundays are scheduled all day; Mondays, after 8 p.m.

The bar and lounge features $5 Bocaditos, while the kitchen dishes out “Gronk Combo,” a choice of guacamole, nachos and spicy chicken wings, $14, and the “Brady Bomb,” a choice of guacamole or flight of guacamole and six beef or chicken tacos on soft flour tortillas, $20.

Get in on the fun and food!

If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to [email protected].

Postmaster Wanda Poteat’s first official act as Jefferson’s new postmaster was to dedicate the 2016 Kwanzaa stamp with (from left) Massachusetts State Representative Russell Holmes, Holden/Jefferson Board of Selectmen Chairman Anthony Renzoni, Poteat, State Representative Kimberly Ferguson and Manager of Post Office Operations Mark Howell.

Born and raised in Worcester, the new postmaster of Jefferson gives a bird’s eye view of the town.

“The Jefferson community is my extended family and I’m honored to be welcomed with open arms,” said Postmaster Wanda Poteat. “The Post Office is my ‘Mom and Pop Shop’ where everyone gives everyone the respect they would give their mom and pop.”

With one hand placed on the Bible and her family nearby, Poteat of Worcester, was officially sworn in as postmaster, taking the oath of office at an Oct. 6 ceremony.

In front of friends, postal leadership, her own employees, and elected officials, Poteat took on the challenge to lead the vibrant Post Office in Jefferson, covering the ZIP Code area of 01522.

Hosted at St. Mary’s Church in Jefferson, Massachusetts State Representatives Russell Holmes and Kimberly Ferguson, Congressman’s James McGovern’s representative Holly Hodgkins and postal managers lauded the new leader.

“You’re a role model,” said Hodgkins. “I hope to have some of the same success one day.”

Board of Selectmen Chairman Anthony Renzoni remarked about the Jefferson Post Office, “It truly is a community center” and wished Poteat well as she “takes over this great community asset.”

Nicolas Francescucci, postmaster of Boston Post Offices, administered the traditional postmaster’s oath as Poteat’s grandson TayMur Poteat held the Bible. Wanda repeated, “I will conduct myself honorably rendering the best possible service and the highest form of respect to the customers and employees I serve and serve with.”

Francescucci described Poteat as “enthusiastic and dedicated.” “It takes a leader to get this position,” he said.

As postmaster of Jefferson, Poteat manages five employees who reach nearly 1,300 deliveries and service Post Office boxes daily.

Poteat has worked for the U.S. Postal Service since 2007, beginning as a mail handler in Greensboro, NC. She’s held managerial positions in Massachusetts and Rhode Island including supervisor of Customer Service in Framingham, and supervisor of mail processing in Providence and Shrewsbury as well as officer-in-charge in Upton and Sherborn.

The history of postmasters in America dates back to 1639 when the first legislation was passed for a postal system. Richard Fairbanks of Boston is traditionally cited as the first postmaster in America under the colonial system.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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MASSACHUSETTS — Boston Latin School in Boston is the top school in Massachusetts, according to a new national ranking by U.S. News and World Report. This year's list of best high schools evaluated more than 17,800 schools nationwide, including 339 in Massachusetts.

The 2022 ranking of best high schools is intended to show how well the nation's public schools serve all students, regardless of achievement level, by teaching them basic skills and preparing them for college-level work, according to a news release from U.S. News.

Families can also use the rankings to see how schools compare at the national, state and local levels on factors such as graduation rates and college readiness.

While thousands of schools were evaluated, these Massachusetts schools were ranked among the top 300, according to U.S. News:

This year, the top 15 schools nationally are in 14 different states.

Find out what's happening in Across Massachusettswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, was ranked No. 1 in the nation, as well as among magnet schools.

Here are the top 10 schools in this year's national Best High Schools ranking:

This year's schools were ranked on six measures: college readiness, college curriculum breadth, state assessment performance, state assessment proficiency, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance and graduation rates.

The data used in this year's ranking is from the 2019-20 academic school year. U.S. News adjusted its calculation of these measures to account for the impact COVID-19 had on schools in the 2019-20 school year.

Since most states closed schools for in-person instruction starting in March 2020 — typically just before most states conduct assessments — the U.S. Department of Education granted waivers allowing all states to forgo state testing for the 2019-20 school year.

To account for this, U.S. News relied on past assessment data from the three prior ranking years. Researchers also incorporated state science assessment data from the 2018-19 school year.

Read more about the Best High Schools methodology.

In addition to the national rankings, U.S. News also published rankings at the state, metro area and school district levels. Only metro areas and school districts with three or more high schools were included in these subrankings.

Signature School in Indiana is at the top of the list for charter schools, and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia is the No. 1 magnet school. The Davidson Academy of Nevada is the top STEM school.

Federal Way’s Goddess Ma’alona-Faletogo wants be treated just like everyone else — despite her noticeable difference.

Although she lost her vision as a child, the freshman at Thomas Jefferson was raised by her parents and her older brothers to follow her dreams with reckless abandon, regardless of the obstacles she’d certainly be forced to overcome.

Despite not being able to see, Ma’alona-Faletogo got hooked on the sport of wrestling. And after claiming two district championships at Totem Middle School, Ma’alona-Faletogo joined the Raiders wrestling program with visions of winning state championships.

“I love the sport with my head and heart,” Ma’alona-Faletogo said. “I know that it may seem impossible for me, but it’s not. It’s the sport I grew up with. It’s in my blood. I love it.”

Ma’alona-Faletogo discovered and fell in love with wrestling at age 6. In actuality, she wasn’t given much of a choice.

It was a love influenced by two older brothers, who happen to share a passion for football and wrestling.

Ma’alona-Faletogo said she was regularly caught in the middle of games of “who’s the stronger athlete.” It was through this sibling rivalry that Ma’alona-Faletogo found a passion for physical contact sports.

“I grew up with older brothers who loved to wrestle,” Ma’alona-Faletogo said. “More than that, they loved to throw me around. So, I got tired of that and joined the wrestling team when I got to middle school.”

When Ma’alona-Faletogo arrived at Totem Middle School, she not only decided to join the Thunderbirds’ wrestling team, she was going to make sure her brothers knew she wasn’t a pushover.

She also decided she was going to remove her disability as a talking point once and for all.

Ma’alona-Faletogo said her goals were to make sure her name was remembered for her accomplishments on the mat, not her inability to see.

She also hopes to give other blind children the motivation to not give up on their dreams, no matter how impossible they seem.

And as a sixth-grader, Ma’alona-Faletogo made good on her goals as she was named a two-time district champion at Totem.

Ma’alona-Faletogo said her experience with the Thunderbirds helped her figure out how to be successful on the mat.

“I still remember my first match,” she said. “I was so nervous, but it was funny because my teammates are always yelling during my matches to help me, trying to tell me where an opponent is, what’s coming where to move, and, honestly, from my perspective, it’s not as helpful as you’d think.

“I love my teammates, and I appreciate it, but once I get going, I really do know what’s going on, even though I may not be able to see it.”

After her time at Totem came to an end in 2015, she advanced to Jefferson.

Raiders wrestling coach Jeff Muraki’s first interaction wasn’t with Ma’alona-Faletogo, however. It was with her mother.

She spoke with Muraki before fall tryouts, not just to talk about her daughter’s interest in the team, but also to say that she wasn’t like most athletes.

“She started to talk to me about her blindness,” Muraki said. “I remember I kind of had to stop her because that’s not what’s important to me. I want to know what she could do on the mat.”

Muraki said he saw enough just moments into Ma’alona-Faletogo’s tryout.

The first thing Muraki noticed was her raw strength and physical ability, which he said is the best quality a wrestler can have because it’s not something that can be taught.

Ma’alona-Faletogo is described by coaches as soft-spoken. Muraki said she comes to practice, competes, then goes about her business.

Ma’alona-Faletogo is also humble. She said she doesn’t say much because, as a freshman, she’s still trying to find her place within the program, in addition to learning how to be the best teammate and competitor.

The freshman said she also keeps quiet because she knows she’s one of the only underclassmen with multiple district championships already to her credit.

“There’s a saying in wrestling: ‘The person who talks the most smack is the one who always gets laid out.’” Ma’alona-Faletogo said. “I’m not about to be that person.”

Ma’alona-Faletogo has three losses this season, but it’s not as bad as it sounds.

Ma’alona-Faletogo is in the highest weight class in the state, which yields the state’s toughest competitors. All three of her losses this season have been to wrestlers who competed for a state championship in 2015.

One of them was Federal Way wrestler Mariah Stewart. Stewart beat Ma’alona-Faletogo at the league dual meet, Dec. 14.

Stewart said while Ma’alona-Faletogo’s story is inspirational, it shouldn’t take away from her high skill set.

“She’s just an inspiration,” Stewart said. “To only be a freshman and to be that physical, that dominant in the circle, is amazing. I think that once she gets more experience, she’s going to be really good.”

Muraki said Ma’alona-Faletogo has been extremely hard on herself after each loss, which prompts the two to have long conversations after practice.

“They’ve all been state placers,” Muraki said. “That’s been the biggest challenge with Goddess, I think, is reminding her she’s only a freshman and that, those aside, she’s beaten everyone else.”

The Jefferson coach insists he knows what he’s doing when it comes to grooming his freshman, and it doesn’t include focusing on her disability. He said he’s stacked Ma’alona-Faletogo against some of the state’s best on purpose. He does it because he sees a state champion in the making.

If Ma’alona-Faletogo wants to be a champion, she first has to be treated like one, Muraki added.

“By her senior year, we can see her becoming a state champion,” he said. “The only thing holding her back is not her condition, not her skill. It’s her confidence. That comes with a lot of mat time, and trust me, we have her on the mat a lot.”