Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal | September 30, 2024 | wbjournal.com I N B R I E F Downtown center "In so many ways, you're helping these individuals launch their business and then grow their capacity and their ability to thrive in our community." Sen. Robyn Kennedy (D-Worcester) on Clark University opening a downtown Worcester space for its Small Business Development Center, which aims to enhance accessibility for local small business owners Record prices "Massachusetts single- family home sales in August were marked by continued price growth, with the median price hitting $630,000 – a 5% increase compared to last year and a new record for August." Cassidy Norton, associate publisher and media relations director of Peabody-based The Warren Group, on the record Massachusetts median home prices as Worcester County's median price hit $476,000 Leader retiring "Mary's visionary leadership has been instrumental in shaping the United Way of South Central MA into a thriving organization. Her dedication to our mission has improved the lives of countless individuals in our community." Alycia Dzik, board chair of the United Way of South Central Massachusetts, on the planned retirement of Executive Director Mary O'Coin at the end of the year. Pictured is O'Coin. BY MICA KANNER-MASCOLO WBJ Staff Writer T he Massachusetts Department of Public Health has officially closed its investigation into Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester after reviewing and accepting the hospital's plan of correction prompted by more than 600 complaints filed by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the union representing Saint Vincent nurses, citing quality of care and staff safety concerns in addition to union contract violations. "DPH determined the hospital was back in compliance with applicable state and federal requirements," DPH spokesperson Ann Scales said in an email to WBJ on Sept. 16. The investigation has been complete for several months. The DPH conducted onsite investigations into Saint Vincent between Jan. 31 and Feb. 7 after receiving the complaints on Jan. 26, said DPH spokesperson Katheleen Conti in an email to WBJ on Sept. 17. The Department provided Saint Vincent with a written statement of one deficiency regarding an insufficient number of cardiac telemetry boxes to appropriately DPH has closed investigation into Saint Vincent Hospital stemming from nurses complaints over safety UFCW Local 1445 members picket outside of Saint Vincent Hospital on May 3. monitor patients on March 5, said Scales. The hospital responded by providing a plan of correction on March 13, a day after Saint Vincent put out a press release implying its ongoing investigation was complete. The DPH refuted this claim hours later, stating the investigation was still in process. Saint Vincent's POC was deemed acceptable by the DPH on March 15. On March 19, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a federal agency, was notified and officially accepted the plan, said Conti. Three days later on March 21, eight Saint Vincent nurses filed a lawsuit with the Worcester County PHOTO | COURTESY OF UFCW LOCAL 1445 Superior Court against the hospital's owner, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, claiming wrongful termination. Also in late March, the National Labor Relations Board issued a formal complaint against Saint Vincent citing nurses' union violation rights as a consolidation of six cases based on charges filed by the hospital's nurses between 2022 and 2024. MNA condemned the DPH determination and the end of its investigation into Saint Vincent. "We can't understand how any agency can read report after report of patients being left unattended for hours lying in their own urine and feces, how any agency can read dozens of reports of patients waiting for hours without receiving medications, or treatments to aid their recovery and sign off on such care as being rectified," David Schildmeier, MNA director of public communications, wrote in an email to WBJ. "The conditions at St. Vincent have not been rectified, and we will continue to raise our voice about these conditions until this corporation is held accountable." Saint Vincent did not return WBJ's request for comment. W

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