Host Hospital Ends Natick Hospital’s Lease
After a decision made by its host hospital to terminate its lease, Kindred Hospital of Natick, Massuchusetts shut its doors on June 26, 2015.
Kindred Hospital operated an acute care hospital in Natick, and had been employing over 60 people. The hospital had 23 beds for its patients. Natick is located 15 miles west of Boston, and has a population of slightly over 30,000 residents.
Kindred Hospital is a healthcare system based in Massachusetts and has several hospitals throughout the state, including Boston, Peabody and Stouhgton. Their system includes acute care centers and transitional care facilities.
MetroWest Opted to Not Renew Lease
Kindred Hospital’s branch in Natick had been leasing their premises from MetroWest Medical Center. MetroWest reached a decision to not renew Kindred Hospital’s lease.
“MetroWest, our host hospital, decided to go in different direction in which they thought would best meet the needs of the community,” said a hospital official in a press release. “They therefore chose not to renew their lease with Kindred.”
This decision led directly to Kindred Hospital’s closure.
No Other Solution Found
The administration at the hospital claims that they tried seeking an alternative plan to shutting down operations, such as moving to different premises. Nothing which they felt appropriate was found.
“We explored several options to move Natick to another location, but determined it was not feasible,” said Amber Hester, CEO of Kindred Hospital Boston North.
Kindred Working to Secure Job Placement for Their Employees
All of 60+ employees of Kindred Hospital were laid off as a result of the hospital’s closure. However, many of them were able to secure positions in one of the other Kindred Hospital branches.
“We can confirm that nearly half of the Natick employees found jobs at other Kindred locations,” said Hester. “We are currently working with our other employees to find placement for them.”
Natick Closure Not Affecting Other Kindred Hospitals
The closure of Kindred Hospital’s Natick branch is not meant to affect the other branches in their healthcare system.
“This decision has no impact on our other area Kindred hospitals or nursing centers,” said hospital officials. “During the transition, we will continue to provide our patients with care and services, and tend to their medical needs. We will take every step necessary to help our patients relocate, including arranging for transfers and paying for any expenses.”
As a result of the closure, Kindred Hospital is no longer admitting patients. The hospital informed any of its current patients, that if they needed continued care, they could switch to a different healthcare provider.