The Department of Public Health’s Office of Health Care Access (OHCA) today issued its final decision approving the purchase of the assets and affiliates of Greater Waterbury Health Network, Inc. (GWHN), including Waterbury Hospital (WH), by Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc. (PMH) of Los Angeles, CA.  The Connecticut Office of the Attorney General will also issue its final decision on the application today.

OHCA’s final decision maintains the conditions set forth in its proposed decision, which was issued last month, including:

• Reporting on inpatient and outpatient services as of the time of the decision, any planned changes for the next three years and notification of any relocation of outpatient or reallocation of inpatient services
• Submission of a Health Needs Plan for supporting and implementing a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA)/Study
• Maintenance of current charity care, indigent and community volunteer services
• Maintenance and enhancement of current community benefit programs and community building activities for three years to address the health needs of the community as identified in the CHNA and elsewhere
• Compliance with the general community benefit standards for at least three years, including: provision of public health programs, open medical staffs, participation in Medicare and Medicaid, and operation at WH of a 24/7 emergency department with service to all patients regardless of their ability to pay
• Working toward making culturally and linguistically appropriate services available and integrated throughout the hospital’s operations
• Holding a semi-annual joint meeting of Board of Directors and Local Board where the public is invited, informed of hospital activities, and given the ability to ask questions
• Designate a community representative, selected by the City’s Mayor, to serve as a full voting member of the Local Board
• Submission of a semi-annual report for three years on cost savings achieved by PMH at GWHN and WH, along with the effect of those cost savings on clinical quality of care
• Submission of a three year service plan for any consolidation, reduction, or elimination of services
• Submission of a semi-annual report to OHCA detailing how funds PMH has committed to capital investments in WH was expended
• Contract with an Independent Monitor for compliance with OHCA conditions and DPH’s Facilities Licensing and Inspection Section (FLIS) pre-licensing consent order and Quality Commitment letter