Hospitals agree to affiliate

NORTHWEST CORNER —  On Friday, Aug. 5, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital (CHH)  and Hartford HealthCare agreed to a formal affiliation.

The affiliation was approved by the boards of both organizations and now needs to be approved by state and federal regulators.

Both organizations originally started investigating a potential affiliation in late February, when CHH’s board of governors signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding.

Hospital histories

CHH, located at 540 Litchfield St. in Torrington, was founded 100 years ago.

The hospital operates the emergency department and other services at the Winsted Health Center, located at 115 Spencer St.

Services offered by the hospital at the Winsted site include cardiac rehabilitation, a sleep laboratory, x-ray services, blood drawing services and LifeStar medical helicopter services.

CHH started to operate services at the Health Center in 1996, after the Winsted Memorial Hospital shut down.

Hartford HealthCare owns and operates several acute care hospitals, behavioral health networks and senior service centers throughout the state.

According to its website, at www.hartfordhealthcare.org, the organization’s acute care hospitals include Hartford Hospital, MidState Medical Center in Meriden and Windham Hospital in Willimantic.

It currently employs more than 18,000 people at its locations throughout the state.

CHH’s potential future

According to a press release issued by Tim LeBouthillier, director of community relations for CHH, if the affiliation is approved by state and federal regulators, CHH would become part of the Hartford HealthCare network.

“Both organizations have completed months of due diligence following their initial decision to consider an affiliation in February,” LeBouthillier wrote. “Both have determined that an affiliation would be in the best interests of the patients and communities they serve. The strategic affiliation would improve quality and expand the scope and accessibility of affordable health care for patients in a culture of compassion, respect and integrity; support the recruitment of skilled providers; assist with community benefit programming and allow for further necessary infrastructure investments.”

According to LeBouthillier, part of the affiliation involves several investments, including: $50 million to fund maintenance and replacement capital projects at CHH, $20 million for a discretionary strategic investment fund, $3 million to support medical staff development and recruitment, $2.5 million to the Northwest Community Foundation to “enhance economic and community well-being in CHH’s service area” and $500,000 over the next five years to support Litchfield County’s participation in the Center for Disease Control’s sponsored Community Transformational Grant Program.

No changes foreseen
in services

When asked by The Winsted Journal, LeBouthillier wrote that until the affiliation is approved, CHH will continue “business as usual.”

“There are no plans at this time to change CHH offerings and services at the Winsted Health Center,” LeBouthillier wrote by email. “The agreement incorporates a proactive growth agenda for healthcare services in Winsted and includes a strategic framework to examine enhancing future services at our current and possible future locations.”

When asked about the timeline for the affiliation to be approved by both state and federal regulators,  Vice President of Organizational Development Brian Mattiello emailed that there is no set time frame.

“We cannot be precise with estimating the length of time for the regulatory process,” Mattiello wrote. “We are committed to filing as soon as possible in the upcoming weeks, and we know that the state is advancing applications that are similar to what we will be filing. However, there is a moratorium on final dispositions in Connecticut until January 15. Therefore, we expect that the process will take several months.”

Main Street offices?

In December 2014, Winsted’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved plans for a new medical center at 70–84 South Main St.

The plans for the building, which is supposed to be leased by Hartford HealthCare, calls for the building to be 20,000 square feet and two stories high.

The building will be located on the site where two existing buildings — the D’Amore Agency real estate office and Morsel Munk Store’s former location — are located.

However, both buildings are still standing.

According to Hartford HealthCare Director of Communications Shawn Mawhiney, the organization is still planning to build the medical center.

“We have no details [on the project] at this time and probably won’t until an affiliation is approved and we can work together on it,” Mawhiney wrote via email.