Brattleboro (Vt.) Memorial Hospital is exploring whether to transition to a critical access hospital.
“While the designation offers important benefits for some rural hospitals, becoming a critical access hospital would involve significant federal eligibility requirements and could fundamentally change how BMH delivers care,” a spokesperson for the hospital said in an Aug. 26 statement shared with Becker’s.
In early August, Brattleboro Memorial shared plans to lay off nine employees as part of its financial recovery plan. The hospital’s board of directors approved a plan in early July to shutter its obstetrics service line, which includes the BMH Birthing Center, over the next six to nine months.
Brattleboro Memorial has also seen a shift in leadership over the last year. Laura Bruno, hospital controller and CFO, exited her role in December after the hospital’s board revealed in late November that its president and CEO, Christopher Dougherty, would not return from his leave of absence. In October, Elizabeth McLarney, MD, and Tony Blofson, MD, were appointed acting co-CEOs during Mr. Dougherty’s leave of absence.
“Critical access hospital status may be appropriate for some rural hospitals,” the statement said. “For BMH, any decision would depend on whether the designation is legally available, financially sustainable, and compatible with preserving the broad range of care the community needs.”
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