Most Speak in Favor of Landmark Sale to Steward Health Care

Few negative words were uttered against the sale of Landmark Medical Center to Steward Health Care System at Monday night.

The evening public hearing was hosted by The RI Attorney General's office and the RI Department of Health as part of their review of the purchase. It was the second of two sessions held Monday, totalling more than four hours of testimony from concerned citizens. Attorney General Peter Kilmartin and RI Department of Health Director Dr. Michael Fine attended to listen to the speakers. A time limit of three minutes was suggested but not enforced during the hearing.

Landmark Medical Center is in dire risk of closure, said Richard R. Charest, president of the facility. Should that happen, the impact on the area's economy would be significant - the center is the second largest employer in northern RI, second to . It's the 31st largest employer in the state, Charest said.

With Steward, Charest said, the center will benefit from investments in technology and equipment. Already, in anticipation of the sale, Steward has kept the center afloat by extending a $5 million line of credit. Also, he said, Steward has demonstrated its ability to lower health care costs.

Sr. Marie Puleo, Vice President of Steward Health Care, said her organization had a record of doing well by the facilities in their system. "We take our responsibility to be community stewards seriously," Puleo said. She noted Steward has invested $120 million in their hospitals since 2010. Also, she said, as a private entity, Steward would pay the city taxes. "In Massachusetts, Steward paid more than $80 million in taxes," Puleo said.

Leda Slater, a volunteer at Landmark, said that 125 to 150 people are often checked in to the center within an eight-hour period, with six ambulances visiting within that period. Where, she asked, would all those people in need of help go without Landmark in the city? Slater said selling Landmark to Steward was the only alternative to save the center for the people who depend on it. "I see it as the only helping hand," Slater said.

Donna Gouveia, president and CEO of Visiting Nurse Homecare, said keeping the hospital afloat was essential to making sure people in the area recieved timely threatment. Many city residents, she noted, have no reliable transportation to get them beyond the city to alternate medical services.

Lauren Renza, a speech pathologist at Landmark's Rehabilitation Hospital of RI, said job security for her and her colleagues is shaky. Also, she said, there's little funding to keep the facility up to date on technology, or to spend on professional growth and development. If the sale to Steward is approved, "I look forward to continuing to serve the people of greater Woonsocket," she said.

Howard Schulman, who identified himself as a general internist, was the lone voice opposing the sale. "It is a fallacy that Steward Healthcare is going to be pouring money into Landmark," he said.

If Landmark can't make it as a non-profit hospital, he said, "I don't see how it can make it as a for-profit." Schulman said Steward will likely sell off assets if it acquires Landmark. Also, he said, Steward prevents patients from seeing doctors outside their system. "Is this the type of company we want to be running our hospital?" Schulman asked.

He was met by a firm "Yes" from several voices in the crowd. Shulman persisted, stating that turning control of Landmark over to Steward would not solve the facility's problems.

After the hearing, Woonsocket Fire Chief Gary Lataille said that Landmark's closing would be a financial burden on the Woonsocket Fire Department and would add to the time it would take emergency patients to recieve care. "It triples my cost," Lataille said, from about $40,000 annually for travel now to $190,000. 

Also, he said, a 15 mile ride to Providence for emergency service adds a lot of time to a patient's trip to get treated. "It becomes delayed medical service," he said.

With no other entity offering to help Landmark, Lataille asked, "What is the alternative?"