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Date: 3/15/2023
LONGMEADOW — When people unexpectedly become ill or injured on weekends or after their doctor’s office is closed, they often rely on urgent care facilities. Recently, Baystate Health announced that it would be closing its urgent care facilities in Longmeadow, Feeding Hills and Westfield, citing staffing difficulties.
“After much consideration we made the difficult but necessary decision to close three of our jointly owned urgent care centers, which includes our Longmeadow location,” said Chalonda James, director of corporate communications and public relations, marketing and communications for Baystate Health. “This was not an easy decision. We, like most of our healthcare colleagues across the nation, are struggling with staff shortages.”
As vice chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health, state Sen. Jake Oliveira commented, “The closures are a serious concern that our office is monitoring closely ... The healthcare staffing shortage is a growing concern in Massachusetts and, like many workforce shortages, something the Legislature should be working to address across the commonwealth.”
Oliveira filed the bill SD1793 this legislative session, which he said “would require MassHealth to reimburse expenses related to graduate medical education for physicians training in primary care, behavioral health, and other residency training in fields experiencing shortages. For many years, MassHealth had included such payment in its MassHealth inpatient acute hospital reimbursement rates. More than 10 years ago, it was eliminated for budget purposes. Given the workforce challenges and increased emphasis on primary care and behavioral health, MassHealth should again fund its share of these expenses, so providers have the funding to train the next generation of physicians.”
Longmeadow Baystate Health Urgent Care, at The Longmeadow Shops, will close at the end of March, after five years of operation. Moving forward, area patients may wonder where to go when they need immediate medical care in non-life-threatening situations.
If possible, Finn McCool, director of public health for Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Hampden and Monson, said, “When it comes to residents who are ill, they should start by contacting their primary care.” However, a primary care doctor is not always available.
“With the closure of the urgent care in Longmeadow residents may have to travel further distances to receive care, which can cause inconvenience and additional stress, particularly for those with limited mobility,” McCool said.
McCool noted, “There are alternative healthcare facilities in the area that can help fill the gap.” Below is a non-extensive list of the urgent care facilities closest to Longmeadow.