Two weeks ago, Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre was vacationing in France when the company announced plans to close two Massachusetts hospitals. A spokesperson clarified on Thursday that de la Torre was not involved in the decision or the timing of the announcement.
On July 26, Steward Health Care revealed that no acceptable bids had been received for Carney Hospital in Dorchester or Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer. As a result, the hospitals are set to close at the end of August, a timeline that is shorter than typical state regulations permit. According to Boston Globe columnist Brian McGrory, de la Torre was in France at the Olympic dressage events in Versailles when Steward filed the court papers to finalize the closures.
The spokesperson for de la Torre stated that while he was on vacation with his family, he had no role in the closure decisions or the announcement. Although de la Torre is the CEO, he is not part of the “transformation committee,” which, according to court documents, has the exclusive authority to make decisions about hospital sales or closures during the bankruptcy process.
“The terms of the bankruptcy process limit Dr. de la Torre’s authority regarding sales or closures,” the spokesperson explained. “The announcement about Carney and Nashoba’s closure was made during bankruptcy proceedings and was influenced by the Massachusetts government’s refusal to support the bids received. This information is documented in the court transcript.”
The spokesperson emphasized that despite the press reports, de la Torre has been dedicated to managing the situation and, within the constraints of the bankruptcy proceedings, has been focused on keeping hospitals open and ensuring patient care.
