Community hospitals represent the backbone of the acute care delivery system. In Massachusetts, they all provide emergency room services and, depending upon their size, provide services that mirror what is expected for secondary care in an academic medical center. Recent studies, that review key quality measures, such as maternal outcomes, cardiac procedures and other measures of secondary care quality, demonstrate that the overall quality of our community hospitals equals or exceeds that of academic medical centers but at a significantly lower cost.

The community hospital is an important stabilizing factor in the economic viability of the cities and towns where they are located. Very often they are the largest employer in the area and have wage levels equal to or above the state average. The community hospital system is an asset and an important factor in the overall health of our citizens and the economic well being of the Commonwealth.