WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Healthcare workers and community members in Westfield are voicing their concerns over changes at Baystate Noble Hospital.
Registered nurses of Baystate Noble announced the results of a community survey at a news conference outside the hospital Wednesday. The survey focuses on community members’ response to staffing cuts and service eliminations, which they say have made it harder for patients to consistently receive safe, high-quality care.
“This community is tight-knit and they really do respect and respond to the nurses. They want the community hospital to remain just as much as we do, and in seeing that, we find that we need to support our community and go with what they’ve asked us to do,” said Registered Nurse Paul Dubin.
More than 460 community members took part in the survey, which was created in response to the closures of Baystate Noble’s intensive care unit and behavioral health services.
Baystate Noble’s President, Ronald Bryant, released the following statement to 22News:
During these challenging times, I am extremely proud of the entire team at Baystate Noble Hospital. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been critical to carefully optimize our regional resources – ranging from expert trauma and ICU level care at our Baystate Medical Center to the local services in our community hospitals, like Baystate Noble, offer. The pandemic reinforced the value of our careful assessment of community health needs and data around usage patterns in the local setting. Baystate Health continues to be successful in providing the right care at the right time in the right place.
We value input and support from our community and continuously engage with our diverse groups of volunteer community representatives who serve on our boards, committees, and advisory councils at our hospitals and other entities.
The timing of the MNA’s forum is disappointing. Baystate Health has been doing everything possible to foster a sense of community and shared purpose across our system and throughout our community. Divisive measures that do not take into account the complex factors involved in operating a community hospital and regional health system are counterproductive.
Our entire team of dedicated professionals will continue to focus their efforts on providing preventive healthcare services, addressing emergency needs and managing the ongoing threat of COVID-19.
Ronald Bryant, President, Baystate Noble Hospital and Baystate Franklin Medical Center – Northern Region