UMass Memorial Health announced today that it will build a new stand-alone emergency department at a location yet to be determined to serve the Nashoba Valley region, replacing the Nashoba Valley Medical Center emergency room that was abandoned by Steward Health Care in August 2024.
“We understand the challenges that the closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center has caused for the region, and we have been listening closely to the concerns of impacted patients and the legislators that represent them,” the Central Massachusetts health care provider said in an afternoon statement released by Media and Public Relations Director Shelley Hazlett.
“As a result, we have made the decision to step in to support the community by building a new standalone emergency department in the Nashoba Valley region that also offers certain imaging services. We believe this solution can fill the community’s critical needs and address their primary areas of concern.”
In a footnote, UMass Memorial said that the abandoned hospital building in Ayer had been its first choice, “but it did not work out, so we are now focused on other location options.” The new facility is being described as a satellite emergency facility.
The announcement is good news for the health care officials, emergency services and health care providers, and the legislators who have pushed for months for the restoration of an emergency department for the region.
State Rep. Margaret Scarsdale of Pepperell who co-chairs the Emergency, Outpatient, and Healthcare Services (EOHS) Subcommittee of the state’s Nashoba Valley Working Group with Ayer Town Manager Robert Pontbriand, said news of Umass Memorial’s commitment was “welcome and critical.”
Scarsdale was instrumental in the formation of both the working group and the EOHS subcommittee. ““I made a promise to my constituents when Nashoba Valley Medical Center closed that I would not stop fighting until access to this essential care was restored,” she said in a Wednesday afternoon statement. “Today, our advocacy, and the stakeholders we helped bring to the table, has opened a new path forward for restored health care access in our region. I am grateful to UMass Memorial for their commitment and partnership and eager to work with them to achieve that shared goal.”
UMass, Scarsdale, and Pontbriand say much work remains to be done, including determining the new facility’s location and securing financial support from the state and other sources to smooth the transition.
“While there is significant work to be done before this plan becomes a reality, we remain committed to supporting and protecting the health care needs of residents throughout Central Massachusetts,” wrote the UMass Memorial spokesperson. “We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll administration, Congresswoman Lori Trahan’s leadership team, the state’s Nashoba Valley Working Group, and the community members who have helped guide our vision on how to best move forward and support the health and wellbeing of this region.”
Meanwhile, the decision to create a new facility means that the abandoned buildings of the Nashoba Valley hospital in Ayer will remain unoccupied. They are currently owned by Apollo Global Management, a real estate investment company, which in fiscal 2024 paid a half-million dollars in property taxes to the town of Ayer. The parcels on which they are located are zoned for medical use and cannot be used for housing or businesses.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated online as more information becomes available. Check harvardpress.com for the latest developments.
