Three things patients should know about Steward Health Care's bankruptcy filing - The Boston Globe

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While the long-term fate of Steward's facilities in Massachusetts remains unclear, state officials and company leaders emphasized that little will change in the short run and that patients should continue getting care as usual. Here are answers to questions readers may have about how to navigate Steward's bankruptcy.

What should Steward's patients do?

Steward's facilities remain open and safe, state officials said.

"I understand that members of the public are concerned about what this means for them and their families in terms of accessing care," Governor Maura Healey said. "But that's why I want to be very clear in telling the public that these hospitals will remain open and folks should continue to keep their appointments and seek care as needed, including if you need to see an emergency room."

The state has set up a call center to answer questions. People can also go to mass.gov/stewardresources.

"The most important thing for patients and families to know is that their hospitals remain open and ready to care for you," US Representative Lori Trahansaid in a statement. "There are thousands of dedicated physicians, nurses, and support personnel at Steward facilities who are working around the clock to make sure every single patient can get the care they need, and today's filing does not change that."

However, Massachusetts is already facing a shortage of health care workers and state officials fear the uncertainty surrounding a bankruptcy may prompt Steward employees to seek other employment.

"We want to make sure there's adequate staff to care for patients, doctors, nurses, people who work in central supply, people who work at front desk, people who pass trays, people who answer the phone and clinic," said Kate Walsh, secretary of Health and Human Services. "There's a lot of vacancies in this job market right now."

"Right now if you are working at a Steward hospital, thank you, thank you, thank you," Walsh said.

What is the state doing to manage the crisis?

Health officials have had monitors in place since January to see whether Steward's hospitals have needed supplies, equipment, and staffing. The monitors will remain at the hospitals and continue to evaluate conditions for patients in the coming weeks, but their reports will now flow to a newly activated state "command center," led by Dr. Gregg Meyer, a crisis management expert and a former executive at Mass General Brigham, the state's largest health system.

State officials have also been meeting with other hospitals and community health centers that would have to handle an influx of patients if Steward cuts services or closes hospitals. With the current hospital occupancy rate topping 90 percent statewide, many facilities say they are already at or near their limits.

Is Steward's bankruptcy a good thing for Massachusetts?

Healey said bankruptcy might sound scary. But the process will ultimately allow the state to fully access Steward's financial information and better understand the risk to the state's health system.

"One of the good things about bankruptcy is that Steward and its CEO and its management team will no longer be able to lie," Healey said. "That's why we look forward to seeing what is in the various (bankruptcy) documents that will be before the court because we need transparency. We need clarity about debts and liabilities as we assess opportunities and restructuring as we go forward."

State leaders say they will consider bills to increase oversight over hospitals and to strengthen the state's health system.

"It is the Legislature's responsibility to ensure that what happened with Steward Health Care never happens again," House Speaker Ron Mariano said in a statement. "Next week, the House will take up comprehensive legislation to address gaps in our regulatory process that Steward exploited, to stabilize the health care system, and to address the rising cost of health care."

Thomas Lee can be reached at thomas.lee@globe.com.