Nabil Haque vividly recalls the joy of his wife, Sungida Rashid, cradling their newborn daughter for the first time last October at Boston’s St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. It was a moment of pure bliss, but tragically short-lived.
Following the delivery, Rashid encountered a series of complications at the hospital, which proved ill-equipped to handle her urgent needs.
She was transferred to another hospital, where she tragically passed away. Her death has sparked renewed scrutiny into the growing risks and healthcare compromises seen in hospitals owned by private equity-backed companies.
Mum and her Baby (Credits: painterfirm.com)
St. Elizabeth’s, where Rashid gave birth, is among the many hospitals in the U.S. acquired in recent years by Steward Health Care, a company backed by private equity giant Cerberus.
Steward began acquiring hospitals in 2010 and now owns 33 hospitals across 8 states, with hundreds of millions of dollars in backing from Cerberus.
However, a CBS News investigation has revealed how private equity investors have drained hundreds of millions of dollars from community hospitals, leading to devastating consequences.
Last April, CBS News found that Steward redirected funds away from hospital operations, leading to the closure of San Antonio’s Texas Vista Medical Center.
A spokesperson for Steward stated that the company always prioritizes patient care and denies placing any other considerations above this guiding principle.
The spokesperson also highlighted the company’s investments in hospital systems, including facility upgrades and technology improvements.
Despite these claims, records show Steward hospitals facing unpaid bills and potential shortages of vital supplies. At St. Elizabeth’s, medical staff reported that a device crucial for stopping bleeding in Rashid’s liver had been repossessed due to unpaid bills.
Rashid’s death is now under investigation by the state of Massachusetts. Haque revealed that doctors had planned to use an embolization coil to stop the bleeding from her liver, but when St. Elizabeth’s didn’t have the device, she was transferred to another hospital, where she later died during surgery.
The incident has prompted strong reactions in Massachusetts, where Steward owns nine hospitals. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey called Rashid’s death “outrageous” and emphasized the need for change in how healthcare is managed, especially regarding companies that prioritize profit over patient care.
