State Sen. Pavel M. Payano said he is concerned about last week’s leadership shakeup at Lawrence General Hospital, but confident the hospital is strong enough to withstand this latest challenge.
“Lawrence General Hospital’s leadership change was unexpected and brings a period of transition at a critical time for healthcare in our region,” Payano said Saturday in an interview with WHAV. “My priority is to ensure equitable and high-quality healthcare for residents of Haverhill, Lawrence and Methuen.”
Lawrence General Hospital President and CEO Abha Agrawal stepped down last week after a year on the job and just under five months after buying the Haverhill and Methuen campuses of Holy Family from the bankrupt Steward Health Care.
Payano pointed out that the state made a major investment to ensure that Lawrence General would be in a position to consummate the purchase of the two Holy Family campuses last fall.
“I was among many people—citizen advocates, patients, hospital staff, other state legislators, city officials—who were very excited when we were able to save all three hospitals. My biggest fear was that the two Holy Family hospitals would shut down because not only would that have been a disaster for Methuen and Haverhill, I was concerned Lawrence General would have been so overwhelmed with patients, it would not have been able to keep up.”
Payano said he has confidence in Acting CEO Robin Hynds and looks forward to working with her to make sure services are delivered more efficiently through a single, robust healthcare system in the Merrimack Valley.
That said, he wants to know from hospital officials exactly what their plan is moving forward.
“Lawrence General has faced many crises over the years and always seems to come out stronger,” Payano said. “We all have to work together to make sure that is the case this time. I look forward to working with the hospital’s leadership and the community to make sure all three facilities are viable for many years to come.”