State clears four hospital service moves, new Wallingford infusion suite without additional review

The state Department of Public Health has determined that four proposed hospital service relocations and a new outpatient infusion suite in Wallingford can proceed without approval under Connecticut’s certificate of need program. The five decisions, issued Wednesday, involve three projects at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, one at Hartford Hospital and one proposed by KabaFusion CT LLC. The certificate of need program requires state review of certain healthcare projects, including some facility expansions and service changes. DPH took over the program after the Office of Health Strategy was eliminated earlier this year. The Hospital of Central Connecticut plans to relocate its pre-admission testing, which helps prepare patients for scheduled hospital procedures, from 5 Highland St. in New Britain to 55 Meriden Ave., in Southington. The hospital said the new location would offer larger, more accessible space while maintaining existing services. The hospital also plans to relocate its outpatient adult, child and adolescent behavioral health services from 98 Main St. in Southington to 55 Meriden Ave., about four-tenths of a mile away. The larger space would keep the programs together and provide room for future growth. The hospital anticipates completing that move by January. A third decision covers the hospital’s proposed relocation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy from 22 Pine St. in Bristol to its Bradley Memorial campus at 81 Meriden Ave. in Southington. The hospital states that consolidation would improve access, better use existing resources and reduce operating expenses. Treatment would also remain available at its New Britain campus. For the hospital moves, DPH determined that relocating services between locations under the same hospital license does not require a CON review. The agency separately noted that the child and adolescent outpatient programs fall under the oversight of the state Department of Children and Families. Hartford Hospital plans to consolidate outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation by moving services from 2 Northwestern Drive in Bloomfield to its existing program at 80 Seymour St. in Hartford. The application cites low patient volume and patient preference for receiving care at the hospital. Separately, KabaFusion plans an outpatient specialty infusion suite at 2 Barnes Industrial Park Road South, Suite A, in Wallingford, in the building housing its pharmacy. The company currently provides infusion therapy in patients’ homes and wants to offer an alternative for those unable or unwilling to receive treatment there. DPH determined that the proposed suite does not meet the statutory definition of a healthcare facility subject to CON review. Other applicable regulatory requirements remain in effect.