JULY 2 — Over the last few days, Health Quest (whose purchase of Sharon Hospital was approved in early 2017) has abruptly signaled its intention to close the maternity ward at Sharon Hospital. The doctors and nurses directly involved learned late last week that the unit would be closed as early as July 24. As late as 10:30 this morning, hospital staff members were informed that the ward would be closed at a “date to be determined.” The nurses in the ward were given exit interviews on Friday.

Many expectant mothers learned about this on social media, and there is still no public written statement from Health Quest explaining the decision or its rationale. There was no community outreach or discussion preceding this significant decision.

When Health Quest purchased Sharon Hospital, the acquisition was approved by the state subject to a Certificate of Need (CON) in which Health Quest made a series of explicit commitments to both Sharon Hospital and to our community. One of those promises was that they would not close existing services at Sharon Hospital for at least three years. This abrupt closure seems to violate that commitment, so I am calling for the state’s Attorney General to investigate.

Maintaining high-quality health care in rural communities like the Northwest Corner requires solving complex problems. It’s challenging, but we have significant and dedicated resources, including hospitals, medical professionals, and nonprofits dedicated to community health.

Our local community, led by the