Save Day Kimball Healthcare
Facts
Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH) – Covenant Acquisition FACT SHEET (Download HERE)
08 September 2022
DKH – Covenant Proposed Acquisition
DKH – Covenant Proposed Acquisition
• DKH will transfer its ownership to Covenant Health – a Catholic healthcare system of Tewksbury MA. All assets of DKH will be given to Covenant, with almost no surviving rights or assets. Agreement is proposed for completion by 30 September 2022. The CT Office of Health Strategy (OHS) can stop this acquisition.
• DKH will transfer its ownership to Covenant Health – a Catholic healthcare system of Tewksbury MA. All assets of DKH will be given to Covenant, with almost no surviving rights or assets. Agreement is proposed for completion by 30 September 2022. The CT Office of Health Strategy (OHS) can stop this acquisition.
• One in six acute care hospital beds in the U.S. is in a Catholic hospital – the proportion is growing. Many are in rural areas with no alternative hospital. (Solomon, et. al., 2020, Community Catalyst https://www.communitycatalyst.org/resources/publications/document/2020-Cath-Hosp-Report-2020-31.pdf
• One in six acute care hospital beds in the U.S. is in a Catholic hospital – the proportion is growing. Many are in rural areas with no alternative hospital. (Solomon, et. al., 2020, Community Catalyst https://www.communitycatalyst.org/resources/publications/document/2020-Cath-Hosp-Report-2020-31.pdf
• DKH does not explain in its Certificate of Need (CON) filing with the OHS why merger talks with Yale New Haven Hospital and Hartford Healthcare failed.
• DKH does not explain in its Certificate of Need (CON) filing with the OHS why merger talks with Yale New Haven Hospital and Hartford Healthcare failed.
Restricted Access to Healthcare and Lack of Transparency
Restricted Access to Healthcare and Lack of Transparency
• Catholic hospitals are required to comply with the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) of the U.S. Conference of Bishops DKH must operate “in full accord with the moral teaching of the Catholic Church”
• Catholic hospitals are required to comply with the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) of the U.S. Conference of Bishops DKH must operate “in full accord with the moral teaching of the Catholic Church”
• Most (76%) Catholic hospitals do not publicly inform patients that their services are restricted by the ERDs. (Meyer, “Most Catholic hospitals don’t disclose religious care restrictions.” Modern Healthcare, (https://www.modernhealthcare.com/operations/most-catholic-hospitals-dont-disclose-religious-care-restrictions)
• Most (76%) Catholic hospitals do not publicly inform patients that their services are restricted by the ERDs. (Meyer, “Most Catholic hospitals don’t disclose religious care restrictions.” Modern Healthcare, (https://www.modernhealthcare.com/operations/most-catholic-hospitals-dont-disclose-religious-care-restrictions)
Regardless of a patient’s religious beliefs or choices, the ERDs ban abortion, sterilization, contraception, many fertility treatments, gender affirming care, some end-of-life patient requests, and referrals for these.
Regardless of a patient’s religious beliefs or choices, the ERDs ban abortion, sterilization, contraception, many fertility treatments, gender affirming care, some end-of-life patient requests, and referrals for these.
• The 1100 employees of DKH (the largest employer in the area) will lose insurance coverage or reimbursement for any health service prohibited by the ERDs
• The 1100 employees of DKH (the largest employer in the area) will lose insurance coverage or reimbursement for any health service prohibited by the ERDs
Reduced Quality of Care
Reduced Quality of Care
• Covenant’s three acute care hospitals have lower quality ratings than DKH (based on mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience, timely & effective care) per the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/topics/hospitals/overall-hospital-quality-star-rating/
• Covenant’s three acute care hospitals have lower quality ratings than DKH (based on mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience, timely & effective care) per the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/topics/hospitals/overall-hospital-quality-star-rating/
• Catholic hospitals pose a threat to women’s lives (Kaye, et. al. “Health Care Denied”, ACLU, https://www.aclu.org/issues/reproductive-freedom/religion-and-reproductive-rights/health-care-denied and Stulberg, et. al. “Tubal ligation in Catholic hospitals” Contraception, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4154979/
• Catholic hospitals pose a threat to women’s lives (Kaye, et. al. “Health Care Denied”, ACLU, https://www.aclu.org/issues/reproductive-freedom/religion-and-reproductive-rights/health-care-denied and Stulberg, et. al. “Tubal ligation in Catholic hospitals” Contraception, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4154979/
• Religious doctrine will replace the medical and scientific basis for healthcare decisions.
• Religious doctrine will replace the medical and scientific basis for healthcare decisions.
Community Accountability Lost
Community Accountability Lost
• DKH will have a local board, approved by Covenant of Tewksbury MA, which will “serve in an advisory capacity” to make recommendations to Covenant. One person will have a non-voting position on Covenant’s board
• DKH will have a local board, approved by Covenant of Tewksbury MA, which will “serve in an advisory capacity” to make recommendations to Covenant. One person will have a non-voting position on Covenant’s board
• DKH policies and practices must be interpreted and enforced as to their compliance with Catholic moral codes stated in the ERDs by the bishop of the local diocese
• DKH policies and practices must be interpreted and enforced as to their compliance with Catholic moral codes stated in the ERDs by the bishop of the local diocese
• In this transaction, DKH will abandon a core value, formerly stated in its mission – “local control”
• In this transaction, DKH will abandon a core value, formerly stated in its mission – “local control”
Contact: info@SaveDKH.org to get more information on our effort and to join the team
The Quiet Corner, NE Connecticut
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