Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | December 29, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 19 ummhealth.org/choose | 855-UMASS-MD The hospitals and services of UMass Memorial Health UMass Memorial Medical Center | UMass Memorial Medical Group | Harrington | HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital Marlborough Hospital | Milford Regional | Community Healthlink WE'RE GOING TO SPEND TODAY CREATING A BETTER TOMORROW. Because cancer is a terrible thing, and heart disease still exists. Because there are questions about the mind and body that still need answers, we'll continue to be relentless in our pursuit of better ways to help you live your healthiest life. ba Valley community and the state, the resilience of this region, and our collective commitment to ensuring that everyone gets the health care they need and deserve," Healey said in the release. UMass Memorial Health to merge two of its hospitals In an effort to enhance access to quality care, UMass Memorial Health in Worcester will merge its Marlbor- ough Hospital with the system's flag- ship UMass Memorial Medical Center. e decision comes aer the Massa- chusetts Public Health Council voted to approve UMass Memorial Health's proposal, with UMMC taking on UMa- ss Memorial Health – Marlborough Hospital's medical license, according to a statement emailed July 10 to WBJ by UMass Memorial Health. e merger is expected to be finalized on or around Jan. 1. "UMass Memorial Health is stead- fast in its commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate, and af- fordable care to patients across Central Massachusetts and beyond. Part of this commitment includes ensuring that all communities can receive the compre- hensive preventative and specialized health care they need and deserve," UMass Memorial wrote in the email. Before the merger, UMMC operated three campuses, all in Worcester: the University campus on Lake Avenue, the Memorial campus on Belmont Street, and the Hahnemann campus on Marlborough Hospital will merge into UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. HEALTH CARE Lincoln Street. Marlborough Hospital's small size has meant it has struggled to see enough patients in order to operate a wide range of hospital and specialty services, Dennis Renaud, director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Determination of Need Program, said in an article published July 9 by State House News Service. "Consequently, patient access to services at Marlborough Hospital are impacted by the ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining primary care and specialty care physicians needed to support an acute care hospital in the community," said Renaud. us, over the past 12 months, the hospital has reduced or cut weekend anesthesia services, general surgery, and urology, he said. "Under a single, coordinated clinical team, Marlborough patients will gain greater access to communi- ty-based specialty care and specialty consults, cutting-edge technologies, and tertiary services available through the Medical Center – keeping more care local. Additionally, we will be better positioned to manage patient care, improve health outcomes, drive quality improvement initiatives, and build a more responsive, patient-cen- tered health care environment," UMa- ss Memorial wrote. UMass Memorial Health – Marl- borough Hospital originally joined the UMass Memorial system in 1998. Both institutions called the affiliation neces- sary, citing rising insurance costs and the foreseen increased competition created by Saint Vincent Hospital's new Worcester campus "We remain dedicated to working collaboratively with the state and other key stakeholders to continue our work to strengthen and stabilize health care throughout the region," UMass Memo- rial said. UMass Memorial Health's most re- cent merger comes aer the healthcare system finalized its corporate affili- ation with UMass Memorial Health – Milford Regional Medical Center in October aer having been clinically affiliated with the system since 1991. W PHOTO | WBJ FILE

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