Catholic system pulls out of Connecticut hospital merger

PUTNAM, Conn. — A Catholic-run well being care system has withdrawn its software to affiliate with Day Kimball Healthcare, an unbiased, financially struggling hospital and well being care system in northeastern Connecticut.

Covenant Well being’s determination to terminate its settlement with Day Kimball in Putnam comes weeks earlier than the state’s Workplace of Well being Technique was scheduled to carry a public listening to on the deliberate merger.

“As a part of our due diligence as we ready for the general public listening to, we turned conscious of latest and up to date data that resulted in our determination to not transfer ahead,” mentioned Karen R. Sullivan, vp of selling and chief communications officer for Massachusetts-based Covenant Well being.

The proposed merger had raised issues amongst residents and Legal professional Basic William Tong in regards to the destiny of reproductive well being and different companies within the principally rural area of Connecticut which may be at odds with the Moral and Non secular Directives set by the U.S. Convention of Catholic Bishops, a problem that has come to gentle in different states as effectively.

Sullivan mentioned in an electronic mail that Covenant’s determination to withdraw its software “had nothing to do with” the directives.

Day Kimball CEO Kyle Kramer, in a memo despatched to workers, mentioned the hospital has begun “pursuing one of the best path ahead” and deliberate to work with native and state officers to protect important hospital companies within the area, together with “exploring discussions with different potential companions.” He famous that Covenant, like different well being care suppliers, has confronted monetary difficulties because the pandemic and that will have contributed to its determination to withdraw.