State: Hartford Hospital doesn’t need regulatory approval to expand maternity service to CT Children’s

ARIELLE LEVIN BECKER / CTMIRROR.ORG Hartford Hospital.

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State hospital regulators have told Hartford Hospital it does not need approval to extend its maternity service to a unit within Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Hartford Hospital had asked the state Office of Health Strategy (OHS) in January whether a certificate of need (CON) is required to extend the service.

The hospital, located at 80 Seymour St., told OHS that its labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum unit seeks to move six medical/surgical beds and six bassinets, all of which are included on the hospital’s facility license, to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) at 282 Washington St. in Hartford.

The labor unit beds will be staffed by obstetricians and labor and delivery nurses employed by Hartford Hospital, and patients will be billed by Hartford Hospital for the services, the hospital said.

In its application, Hartford Hospital stated it expects to spend between $10 million and $15 million on the project.

In a letter dated April 23 and addressed to Barbara A. Durdy, senior director of policy and regulatory affairs for Hartford HealthCare, OHS Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford states that the proposal “is within the scope of healthcare services permitted to be offered by the Petitioner via the DPH facility licensure it maintains.”

Based on that, Gifford adds, “OHS concludes that a CON is not required for the Proposal.”

Hartford Hospital has said the estimated starting date for the project would be December 2026.