Press Releases
11/09/2021
Attorney General Tong Seeks Scrutiny of Planned Closure of Windham Hospital Obstetric Unit
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today submitted comments to the Office of Health Strategy urging careful scrutiny of the planned termination of obstetrics services at Windham Hospital. Citing low patient counts and workforce challenges, Windham Hospital has sought approval from the Office of Health Strategy to close their birthing unit, leaving vulnerable families in the region to drive to Norwich, Manchester, or Hartford to give birth. The comments were submitted ahead of a scheduled public hearing before the Office of Health Strategy on Wednesday, November 10.The Department of Economic and Community Development has ranked Windham as Connecticut’s most economically distressed municipality based on population, unemployment, poverty, educational attainment and property value. Families impacted by this proposed closure are among the most underserved in Connecticut.
“Asking these parents to travel an additional 25-45 minutes in order to undergo a major medical procedure at another hospital is not a mere inconvenience; it creates additional burden and risk for an already vulnerable mother and baby,” Attorney General Tong states. “To that end, we urge your office to closely examine this application and balance the benefits of ending obstetric services at Windham Hospital with the consequences of doing so and consider what steps might be taken to bolster community-based prenatal and postpartum services for this high need population.”
Attorney General Tong further notes in his comments that the Office of the Attorney General is charged with ensuring that charitable gifts are used for purposes consistent with donor intent. Should OHS approve the application to terminate obstetric services, the Office of the Attorney General would work to ensure that any charitable funds intended to support obstetric services at Windham Hospital would continue to serve the purposes for which they were intended.
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