Worcester Business Journal

20 Worcester Business Journal | June 12, 2023 | wbjournal.com July 20, 2023 2:30 - 5:30pm Hogan Campus Center, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Cost: $50. Pre-registration required. CANNABIS The Business of The Region's New Economic Engine Roars Forward WBJ presents WBJ's 5th annual cannabis forum will feature discussions around the latest economic data, business opportunities, and lingering obscurities and risks that remain for cannabis industry participants, whether as a licensee, ancillary service provider, or consumer. Whether you're impressed or concerned by the rapid growth of the Cannabis industry in Massachusetts, and want to know more about how to profit from its future, don't miss this special annual event! KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Shannon O'Brien Chair of the Cannabis Control Commission, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Community Partners Supporting Sponsor Exhibitor www.wbjournal.com/cannabis Why UMass Memorial needs to close maternity services in Leominster V I E W P O I N T A s medical professionals, we have an obligation to provide appro- priate, effective, and equitable care – by us personally and by the hospitals where we provide care. at is why we support the difficult but neces- sary decision to propose the closure of our inpatient maternity services at HealthAl- liance-Clinton Hospital, Leomin- ster campus, to the Massachusetts De- partment of Public Health. To be clear, this was a clinical decision – one we made aer careful consideration and do not take lightly. Like other healthcare providers across Mass., we are carefully examin- ing how we deliver care to the patients and communities we serve, as well as determining how to best allocate our resources to support high-risk patients across the region, par- ticularly in light of the impact of pervasive staffing shortages on existing services. Maternity care is highly specialized and requires continuous and consistent coverage. e advanced nature of these services, combined with existing labor shortages and the steadily declining number of births at the hospital, has heightened the difficulties of staffing this unit. e dedicated teams of maternity care professionals at UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital have provided exceptional care for decades, but it is becoming more challenging to consistently sustain the level of care we strive to provide. We are tremendously grateful to our compassionate caregivers who have helped thousands of parents and families navigate the birthing journey and welcome new loved ones into their lives. Patients in North Central Massachusetts will continue to have the option to deliver within the UMass Memorial Health system at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where many from the Leomin- ster area already receive care. In fact, a third of patients from across the region choose to BY DR. CHARLES CAVAGNARO AND DR. TIFFANY MOORE SIMAS Special to WBJ Dr. Charles Cavagnaro deliver at the Medical Center given the ex- ceptional care provided there. Patients can choose to deliver at one of the many other high-quality hospitals providing obstetrics care in the region. Other local providers of- fering maternity inpatient services include Heywood Hospital in Gardner, Saint Vin- cent Hospital's Center for Women and In- fants in Worcester, and Emerson Hospital's Clough Birthing Center in Concord – all of which are within a 30-minute drive from HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital, Leomin- ster Campus. It's worth noting, according to the March of Dimes 2022 "Maternity Care Deserts Report," Massachusetts is designated as a full access to maternity care state, the highest of its four rankings. We are working within the UMass Me- morial Health system and with community obstetric and pediatric providers to main- tain and enhance access to prenatal and postnatal care locally and throughout the region. We are in the process of identifying and evaluating transportation options for patients and loved ones who need materni- ty inpatient services at the Medical Center or another nearby delivery site. is proposed unit closure involves a robust and collaborative public process to allow us to address concerns from various community members as plans progress. We look forward to engaging in that pro- cess and remaining transparent through- out to make this transition as seamless as possible. Dr. Charles Cavagnaro is chief medical officer at UMass Memorial HealthAlliance- Clinton Hospital. Dr. Tiffany Moore Simas is obstetrics and gynecology chair at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Tiffany Moore Simas The dedicated teams of maternity care professionals at UMass Memorial HealthAlliance- Clinton Hospital have provided exceptional care for decades, but it is becoming more challenging to consistently sustain the level of care we strive to provide. W

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