Affiliation will enhance quality of care and patient safety, and improve social determinants of health in Central Massachusetts

Worcester, Mass. (July 1, 2021) - UMass Memorial Health today announced that Harrington HealthCare System is officially part of the UMass Memorial Health system, effective immediately. As part of the affiliation agreement, Harrington Hospital will now be UMass Memorial Health - Harrington and its system employees and medical group members will become part of the UMass Memorial Health system.

The affiliation agreement includes investments to improve behavioral health and psychiatric care; maintain existing acute care hospital facilities in Southbridge and Webster for at least five years; deploy Epic as the electronic health record system at Harrington; address social determinants of health throughout Harrington’s service areas; and strengthen common goals of continuously improving quality of care and patient safety, while providing better access and affordability of care. 

“Today marks an exciting milestone in our system’s history,” said Eric Dickson, MD, President and CEO of UMass Memorial Health. “Harrington and UMass Memorial Health are closely aligned when it comes to our organization cultures and values: We deeply value our employees, have a strong commitment to providing the highest quality care to our patients and are invested in giving back to the communities we serve. This affiliation agreement solidifies and strengthens the longstanding relationship between our organizations and offers benefits for all of us, particularly our community in central and southern Massachusetts.” 

As part of its Anchor Mission program, UMass Memorial Health will invest $4 million into community organizations located in Harrington’s service areas over the next five years with the goal of addressing some of the social determinants of health issues that are affecting their region’s ability to improve overall health and wellbeing. With the Anchor Mission program, UMass Memorial has worked to improve health determinants throughout Central Massachusetts and ensure community members have access to resources that will improve their overall social, physical and financial health.

“UMass Memorial Health and Harrington HealthCare System have a shared commitment to not only serve the patient care needs of our communities, but to also address social determinants of health such as food insecurity, unemployment and homelessness,” said Doug Brown, President of UMass Memorial Community Hospitals and Chief Administrative Officer for UMass Memorial Health. “Our Anchor Mission commitments of purchasing, hiring, investing and volunteering is unique to the health care industry. This is one of the first times that community commitments are included in an affiliation agreement, a monumental innovation that will benefit patients and our community for years to come.”

UMass Memorial welcomes 1,400 Harrington employees to its ranks growing the system rolls to more than 15,000 caregivers. Ed Moore, President and CEO of Harrington HealthCare, will continue his role as president and will join the UMass Memorial Health senior leadership team.

“Our relationship with UMass Memorial remained strong despite challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic and reaffirmed our decision to merge with a health system that shares common goals and values,” said Ed Moore, President and CEO of Harrington HealthCare. “Both organizations have a long track record of providing exceptional clinical care, and together we are uniquely positioned to deliver greater value and high-quality care that is more accessible and affordable to our local communities.” 

UMass Memorial Health and Harrington HealthCare System will celebrate the beginning of their formal relationship with a kick-off event today, Thursday, July 1. The public event, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Harrington Hospital in Southbridge, will include refreshments and beverages, as well as speeches from state, local and hospital leadership—including Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. 

About UMass Memorial Health 

UMass Memorial Health is the largest not-for-profit health care system in Central Massachusetts with more than 15,500 employees and 2,100 physicians, many of whom are members of UMass Memorial Medical Group and Harrington Physician Services. We are the clinical partner of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Our comprehensive system includes UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Memorial Health – Harrington, UMass Memorial Health – HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital, UMass Memorial Health – Marlborough Hospital, and UMass Memorial Health – Community Healthlink. Together, we impact every aspect of life in the region by making health and wellness services available to everyone, advocating for social equality and providing economic stability and opportunity. There are many ways to heal. We pursue them all. Relentlessly. Visit www.ummhealth.org.

About UMass Memorial Health – Harrington

UMass Memorial Health – Harrington provides outstanding health care to patients in more than 25 communities throughout South Central Massachusetts and Northeastern Connecticut. We are dedicated to our role as the health and wellness partner of the people in our communities and we are relentless in the pursuit of healing. Our comprehensive array of health care services and locations provides our patients with unparalleled access to care. Harrington Hospital in Southbridge and Webster provides medical and surgical inpatient care, 24-hour emergency services, inpatient adult psychiatry, an intensive care unit and comprehensive outpatient services. Harrington Hospital at Webster, Harrington at Charlton, Harrington at 169 and Harrington at Sturbridge offer primary care and specialty physicians, diagnostic imaging and more. Harrington Physician Services is our primary care and multispecialty physician group, UrgentCare Express at Harrington in Oxford offers walk-in appointments for nonlife-threatening illnesses and injuries, and the Cancer Center at Harrington in Southbridge allows patients to receive advanced, local oncology and hematology care. Visit www.ummhealth.org/harrington.