Talks Begin For New Lawrence Memorial Hospital Facility

MEDFORD, MA – Lawrence Memorial Hospital is in early talks to add a new facility to its Medford campus. Officials on Monday held the first public meeting to discuss a proposed $16 million, 17,500-square-foot ambulatory surgery center (ASC).

A spokesperson for Hallmark Health, which operates Lawrence Memorial Hospital, said the exact site has not been selected, but it would be a separate standalone building on the Governors Avenue campus. The center would be developed and managed with Quincy-based Shields Health Care Group.

Hallmark Health first filed plans with the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission in January to build the proposed ASC. The design of the facility and number of operating rooms had not been finalized at the time of the filing.

Ambulatory surgery centers are medical facilities that offer less complex outpatient, or "day surgery," procedures. Patients typically undergo surgery and are released within a few hours, which can sometimes reduce the costs for these types of procedures.

"This is a major step in support of our vision to continue a robust health care presence in Medford by
bringing more of the types of services to Lawrence Memorial Hospital that serve the community’s needs
today and for the future," Alan Macdonald, president and CEO of Hallmark Health, said in a statement earlier this year. "There is growing focus on providing greater access to services outside of the inpatient hospital setting. Ambulatory care, including outpatient surgery, urgent care and wellness programs, is often more
convenient for patients and can be more cost effective. We are excited to partner with Shields Health
Care Group, who is an industry leader in developing community-based ASCs throughout the region."

The company said this week's meeting is the beginning of the proposal process, and there will be additional opportunities for community input in the future.

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