Heywood Healthcare and UMass Memorial Health, with the approval of their respective Boards of Trustees, have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) that will allow Heywood Healthcare and UMass Memorial Health to fully explore affiliation options upon the completion of a thorough and non-binding due diligence process. 

Heywood and UMass Memorial currently collaborate on a number of programs. The proposed affiliation builds on these relationships and presents additional opportunities for long-term benefits and a strong operating model for both institutions. 

Among the benefits offered by the proposed affiliation between Heywood and UMass Memorial are: 

• shared mission to improve the health of the region, including in some of the state’s most economically challenged areas   
• a joint commitment to continuing community investment to address social determinants of health  
• Increased access to capital to continue to invest in facilities, equipment and technology to support access to high quality health care in local community settings 
• protection of community investments, ensuring the viability of deep community investments in infrastructure and services, such as the new Heywood Surgical Pavilion, currently under development 
• comprehensive electronic health record to support care continuity, quality and efficiency 
• reduction of overhead costs, including efficiencies of scale and purchasing 
• expanded access to specialists, innovative programming, such as Hospital at Home, and technologies to support population health programs/services 
• increased capacity to support competitive wages, professional development and growth opportunities. 

If the proposed alliance is consummated, Heywood would become a member hospital within the UMass Memorial Health system, joining UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Memorial Health - Harrington Hospital, UMass Memorial Health - HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital and UMass Memorial Health - Marlborough Hospital. 

The proposed affiliation does not impact patient care services currently offered within Heywood’s system. All sites remain open and patients will continue to use Heywood campus locations and physician offices for routine appointments, emergency care and diagnostic testing, including imaging, labs, cancer care, inpatient admissions, surgical procedures and behavioral health.