South Shore Chamber Opposes Nurse Staffing Ballot Question

BOSTON, MA – The South Shore Chamber of Commerce, whose members include the South Shore Health System, Tufts Medical Center, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Plymouth and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Milton, along with numerous eldercare centers, mental health facilities and doctor’s offices, today joined the Coalition to Protect Patient Safety in opposition to the proposed nurse staffing ballot question.

“Not only will this ballot question significantly increase costs for the healthcare system, it will also dramatically impact patient services in hospitals and patient risks outside of hospitals. Forcing a large increase in staffing at one end of the care spectrum, namely hospitals, will create staffing shortages in other areas,” said Peter Forman, President and CEO of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber of Commerce is particularly concerned about the impact on social service agencies and groups like home care providers that employ nurses. Important community services will be strained and thousands of residents harmed by this ballot question.”

The ballot question, proposed by the Massachusetts nurses’ union, which represents less than a quarter of nurses in the Commonwealth, would require that hospitals across the state, no matter their size or specific needs of their patients, adhere to the same rigid nurse staffing ratios within all patient care areas. The petition does not make allowances for rural or small community hospitals, holding them to the same staffing ratios as major Boston teaching hospitals.

“This ballot question takes the care out of the hands of skilled nurses with years of hands-on experience,” said Susan Clancy, a Registered Nurse at South Shore Hospital. “There is no formula for providing great care, especially not one dictated by government. We know our needs because we are on the front lines providing care every day.”

This measure would cost more than $800 million each year, and those costs will be felt across the healthcare system. Patients would feel it in the form of higher premiums, deductibles and taxes at a time when many Massachusetts families are already struggling to pay for healthcare. Hospitals will be forced to cut vital health programs, such as cancer screenings, opioid treatments, mental health services, early childhood intervention, domestic violence programs and pre- or post- natal care.

An active member of the business community for more than 115 years, the South Shore Chamber of Commerce strives to make the South Shore the best place to live, work and play, and advocates for the 600,000 residents of the region by taking public positions on important issues that will affect the community.

The South Shore Chamber of Commerce joins the American Nurses Association Massachusetts, the Organization of Nurse Leaders, the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals, the Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals, and other healthcare leaders in protecting the state’s healthcare system and its patients from the consequences of this rigid, costly mandate that is expected to be placed before voters in the November 2018 election.

Learn more about the Coalition to Protect Patient Safety at www.protectpatientsafety.com, www.Facebook.com/ProtectPatientSafety and www.Twitter.com/MAPatientSafety.