Dr. Edward Kavle talks with Marshall Miles about a number of subjects related to the closing of maternity at Sharon Hospital and Nuvance’s and lack of commitment to primary care in the local area.

Specifically. talking about the risks to mothers and babies if the unit closes in terms of travel times and the rural nature of the area and the varieties of populations served.

Also talking about the national trend of large health conglomerates closing rural maternity “profit centers” (not patient care centers) and the fact that these centers are not losing money in general but instead not making enough.

Also talking about the trend for these hospitals to seek highest reimbursement services above all.

ABOUT SAVE SHARON HOSPITAL

In September 2021, Nuvance Health, the corporate owner of Sharon Hospital, announced plans to close Labor and Delivery and make cuts to the Surgical Department and the Intensive Care Unit within the next year. Our community needs these vital healthcare services to remain in our area. Sharon Hospital physicians and RNs agree with us – they voted 25-to-1 against Nuvance’s proposed cuts!

Save Sharon Hospital originally formed in 2018, the last time Sharon Hospital tried to close Labor and Delivery. At that time, we came together as a community to keep Maternity open, and we succeeded. Together, we can do it again!

WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW!!

The CT Office of Health Strategy (OHS, the government agency in charge of hospital closings) has scheduled a Public Hearing on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18th via Zoom to determine whether Nuvance has permission to close maternity at Sharon Hospital. Please provide oral and/or written testimony to encourage OHS to deny Nuvance’s application to close maternity.

A) ORAL TESTIMONY: Log into Zoom on October 18th at 2pm to sign up to testify. Public testimony starts at 3pm.

B)  WRITTEN TESTIMONY: Email your testimony to OHS at ohs@ct.gov by October 17th. Please reference Docket No. 22-32511-CON.

OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED:

1) Attend one of our upcoming Community Roundtables to learn from the doctors themselves what is actually happening at Sharon Hospital, and how YOU can make a difference.

• Fri, Sept 23 at 6pm, St. Bernard Church, 52 New St, Sharon
• Thurs, Sept 29 at 4pm, Scoville Memorial Library, Wardell Community Room, Salisbury
• Wed, Oct 5 at 6pm, Northeast-Millerton Library Annex, Millerton
• Wed, Oct 12 at 6pm, Kent Congregational Church , Kent

2) Attend our upcoming Rally to Save Sharon Hospital on Sunday, October 16 at 2pm on the Sharon Town Green. Hear from our public officials, local physicians, and fellow community members the importance of Saving Maternity in our community.

3) Contact your state and local representatives and tell them you don’t agree with Nuvance’s plans to close Maternity or downsize the Surgery Department or the ICU. You can find contact info for your elected officials here .

4) Submit your written testimony to the CT Office of Health Strategy regarding the proposed closure of the ICU by emailing OHS@ct.gov and reference Docket No 22-32504-CON.

5) Complete one of our surveys to help us with editorial stories for the press.

6) Read the letters that Save Sharon Hospital and members of our local medical community have submitted to the CT Office of Health Strategy, to fight to maintain Sharon Hospital as a full-service hospital.

7) Subscribe to our newsletter by entering your info in the form in the footer below.

8) Assist us with our legal and PR expenses. Find more information here.

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