Mass. Hospital Drops ASC Plan

In an about face, Newton-Wellesley Hospital announced it has scrapped plans for a surgical center in Framingham, Mass., that was opposed by local officials and MetroWest Medical Center.

According to the (Framingham) MetroWest Daily News, Newton-Wellesley had won Planning Board permission to turn an old CompUSA store into orthopedic operating rooms and endoscopic procedure rooms. While Newton-Wellesley said the project was meant to relieve pressure at its Newton campus and handle existing patients, MetroWest Medical Center argued that the project would siphon higher-paying cases and jeopardize its operations. The local hospital appealed the Planning Board approvals in Land Court.