From Bankruptcy to Rescue: Dr. Gregg Meyer on the Emergency that Transformed Massachusetts Healthcare
Turn on the Lights PodcastShow Notes
The collapse of a major hospital system set off one of the most complex healthcare emergencies Massachusetts has ever faced.
In this episode, Dr. Gregg Meyer, Incident Manager for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, discusses how the state responded to the unprecedented Steward Health Care crisis and worked to protect patients, communities, and hospital staff. He explains how years of debt, real estate deals, and private equity extraction destabilized the system and pushed it into bankruptcy. He shares what it took to manage a months-long VUCA public health emergency, including on-site monitoring, emergency closures, and the transfer of six hospitals to new nonprofit operators. He also reflects on the human and financial toll the crisis left behind, as well as why stronger oversight and policy reform are urgently needed.
Tune in to learn how Massachusetts led one of the most challenging hospital rescue operations in U.S. history!
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